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COLLECTIONS 



OF THE 



RHODE ISLAND HISTORICAL SOCIETY. 



VOLUME VIII. 



the Diary of John Comer. 



EDITED WITH NOTES BY 

C. EDWIN BARROWS, D. D., 

Late Pastor 0/ First Baptist Church, Newport, R. I. 
WITH AN INTRODUCTION AND A FEW ADDITIONAL NOTES BY 

JAMES W. WILLMARTH, D. D., LL.D., 

Pastor of Roxborough Baptist Church, Philadelphia. 



PUBLISHED FOK THE SOCIETY. 
1893. 



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DEDICATION. 



THE EDITOR 

IS PERMITTED TO INSCRIBE THIS VOLUME 

TO ONE 

WHOSE PRESENCE, DURING HER LIFE, WAS A CONSTANT INSPIRATION 

AND THE MEMORY OF WHOM, NOW THAT SHE HAS 

DEPARTED, SHALL BE A PERPETUAL 

INCENTIVE TO HIGHER 

SERVICE. 



PREFATORY NOTE. 



This work, believed to be of historical interest and value to the 
general public, to the citizens of Rhode Island, and to the Baptist 
Denomination, is published by the American Baptist Publication 
Society in conjunction with the Rhode Island Historical Society, for 
which it was originally edited and annotated. A portion of the first 
edition bears the imprint of the latter Society. 

The stereotype plates are provided by the generosity of Hon. 
Horatio Gates Jones, of Philadelphia, and Mr. Samuel A. Crozer, of 
Upland, Penna. 

The autograph of John Comer is given on page 15, and was fur- 
nished by the kindness of Hon. H. G. Jones. 

For a statement explanatory of the Dedication of this volume, see 
Introduction, page 12. 

It will be understood, of course, that responsibility for opinions 
expressed in the Notes and Introduction belongs entirely to the writers. 

J. W. W. 

Roxboeough, Philadelphia, Oct. 15, 1892. 



INTRODUCTION. 



JOHN COMER was born in Boston, Mass., August 1, 1704. He pur- 
sued his perparatory studies at Cambridge, with a view of entering 
Harvard College, where he became a member of a Congregational 
church ; but entered Yale College instead of Harvard in September, 
1722. After a time, embracing Baptist sentiments, he was baptized 
January 31, 1725, becoming a member of the First Baptist Church, 
in Boston. He did not complete his course at Yale, but after 
his baptism began to preach. He spent a short time in Swanzey, 
Mass., teaching school and preaching, and in November, 1725, entered 
on his ministry in Newport, R. I., at the early age of twenty-one. 
Here he spent about six years, first as co-pastor of the First Baptist 
Church with Elder Win. Peckham, and afterward, as what would 
probably now be called " stated supply " (in part, for there was 
another minister,) of the Second Baptist Church. His work at New- 
port was faithfully done, and was productive of great good ; but erelong 
he found himself beset by many embarrassments. His doctrinal senti- 
ments were Calvinistic, and he soon came to be a firm believer in the 
practice of " laying on of hands " upon newly baptized believers. The 
First Church was Calvinistic, but it resisted his attempt to introduce 
the strict observance of the " laying on of hands." It ought to be re- 
membered that Mr. Comer's opinion was not an idiosyncrasy. Great 
numbers of Baptists in the seventeenth century, probably the large 
majority of them, believed this usage to be scriptural and obligatory. 
The same view was widely held in the eighteenth century. Mr. 
Comer's resignation resulted from this controversy. With the Second 
Church he was in harmony on this point ; but they were Arminians in 
doctrine, and did not relish the preaching of the " doctrines of grace." 
All these difficulties, during which Mr. Comer seems to have exhibited 
a firm regard for what he believed to be the truth, tempered by a kind 
and Christian spirit, are set forth in his Diary. Isaac Backus describes 
him as " an excellent preacher of the gospel," and says that he was 
1 an eminent instrument of reviving doctrinal and practical religion 

7 



8 INTRODUCTION. 



in Newport." In 173,1 he removed to Rehoboth, Mass. A Baptist 
church was formed there which was in accord with his views of truth 
and order, and in less than two years it increased to a membership of 
ninety-five. While in Newport he had occasionally done missionary 
work ; now he labored not only at home but in Sutton, Leicester, Mid- 
dleborough, and other places. A bright future seemed to be before him. 
His ability, piety, and wisdom marked him out for high usefulness and 
leadership among the New England Baptists, who were then a " feeble 
folk," struggling with opposition and persecution. But in his zeal he 
taxed his physical powers too severely, contracted consumption, and 
" died joyfully " at Rehoboth, May 23, 1734, when not yet quite thirty 
years of age. 

His Diary, covering the greater part of his life, is of an antique 
pattern. He often jots down occurrences in the fewest possible words. 
He deals little with the pictorial and picturesque elements. He reveals 
himself as a man of thought, of decision, and of piety; but his expres- 
sions often appear to us quaint ; his reflections, always pervaded by a 
devout spirit, seem occasionally childlike, especially in the religious 
awe awakened by every unusual phenomenon or striking event. It 
was the way of the times to regard every calamity as a judgment, and 
to look upon many natural phenomena with fear, as portents of wrath, 
rather than with scientific inquiry and with admiration of God's won- 
derful displays of his power. This was no doubt an error. Yet who 
shall say that John Comer was not right in hia unquestioning belief 
in God's providential control of the world, and that his mental 
attitude was not far nearer the right than the less believing and more 
flippant temper of this generation ? Surely, we may learn something of 
wisdom and reverence from men like him, even if their quaintness and 
simplicity sometimes create a smile. When too, we consider the youth 
of the writer, I think we shall be impressed with the feeling that he 
was a man of strong intellect and noble powers, and that only his early 
death prevented him from becoming a commanding figure in the his- 
tory of his people and in the literature of his day. 

As we read this old-fashioned Diary we are carried back to days 
that, in some respects, seem to belong to remote antiquity For, two 
hundred years ago there was not a railroad or steamboat or telegraph 
or telephone in the world. Men traveled and communicated with 
each other in the most primitive ways. This country was new, sparsely 
settled, undeveloped, and bound by ties of political and commercial 
dependence to the mother country beyond the sea, to cross which was 
a far more formidable undertaking than it is now to circumnavigate 



INTRODUCTION. 9 



the globe. Life flowed on in a moderate current, with a slowness which 
to us would perhaps be intolerable. Questions of public policy, of in- 
ternational relations, of theological thought were all widely different 
in form, if not in substance, from those that agitate our minds. Many 
truths and facts, especially of science, now familiar as the alphabet, 
were then wholly unknown ; and many old beliefs and superstitions, 
now vanished, held full sway or lingered in many minds. Projects 
now successfully accomplished or hopefully entertained, would then 
have seemed the wildest vagaries; and some matters then of grave 
concern, would now have no interest. Was this life, therefore, radically 
different from ours? Do its simple and quaint annals possess no charm 
for us and convey no lessons for our instruction ? Whoever attentively 
reads this Diary will experience, first, an impression of freshness and 
strangeness, as if he had had a glimpse of a world almost unknown. 
But, presently, he will see the unchangeable elements and principles of 
human nature and of God's grace at work in that simple state of so- 
ciety. He will perceive that piety, bravery, truth, and honor have all 
times as their own ; and he will not refuse to receive some precious 
lessons from the Diary of honest John Comer. 

Certainly, historically considered, this Diary, which is often quoted 
by Backus and others, is valuable. The church historian, desirous of 
understanding the doctrines and practices of that early day, and of 
rescuing from oblivion a multitude of interesting and instructive facts, 
will find in it much material. The secular historian, especially in the 
line of local history, will also find, here memoranda of events, accounts 
of curious circumstances, details concerning men and things, which 
will aid him in his researches, and throw a good deal of light upon the 
conditions of life and of thought almost two hundred years ago. Every 
citizen of Rhode Island interested in the early history of his State, every 
scholar of antiquarian tastes, every Baptist reverencing his ecclesiastical 
forefathers and wishing to know more of their beliefs, practices, and 
lives, every Christian, of whatever denomination, to whom American 
church history seems as important as the church history of former 
ages— all these, I am sure, will read with great pleasure and profit the 
" Diary of John Comer," will be glad to find it elucidated by the 
scholarly and helpful notes which accompany the text, and will be 
grateful for the publication of the work. 

The task of editing and annotating the " Diary of John Comer " was 
wisely committed, some years ago, by the Rhode Island Historical 
Society to the Rev. Dr. Barrows, then Pastor of the First Baptist 
Church, of Newport. He had already made a profound studv of the 
ecclesiastical history of Rhode Island. He had resided for many vears 



10 INTRODUCTION. 



at Newport, was familiar with its localities, its history, and its traditions, 
and was pastor of the ancient church to which John Comer ministered. 
He brought to his work ample ability, habits of diligent and pains- 
taking research, and a remarkably well-balanced and trained power of 
historical judgment. He had advanced far toward its completion when 
his labors were terminated by his unexpected and lamented death. 

The manuscript notes and memoranda which he left were placed 
in my hands to prepare the work for the press. I found the great body 
of the notes in a state of admirable readiness. It was necessary only 
to look them over with a view to the correction of clerical errors, and 
these were very few indeed. Two or three notes I have been able to 
furnish from the author's memoranda in pencil. In quite a number of 
cases he had indicated his purpose to make other notes, of which no 
trace could be found. He had undoubtedly passed them, intending 
later to supply the deficiency — probably, after farther research. These 
I have not been able to prepare, being without access to the requisite 
authorities. My own additions are indicated by my initials. 

It is a matter of great regret that the editor was prevented by death 
from finishing his work, especially because in the final form, which it 
would have received at his hands, it would, I think, have furnished 
additional light on some interesting subjects. For example : it is well 
known that a friendly rivalry exists between the First Baptist Church 
of Providence and the First Baptist Church at Newport, for the honor 
of being acknowledged as the oldest existing Baptist cburch in America. 
Dr. Barrows, in a very gracious and historical spirit, was an advocate of 
the claim of the First Church at Newport, having a firm conviction of its 
validity, and being well aquainted with the facts and authorities on 
which that claim is based. A note indicated but not written might (I 
conjecture) have thrown some light upon this question. I am sure that 
the friends of both churches, and all who are interested in historical 
researches, will regret that Dr. Barrows was prevented from saying 
whatever he may have desired to say upon this matter of historical 
fact. Again, I am almost sure that some fuller notice of the life, 
work, and character of that great and good man, John Clarke, would 
have been found in these notes if the author had been permitted to pre- 
pare them for the press. It is known that he had under advisement 
the project of preparing a life of John Clarke ; a work which would 
have been of great value, and for which he had every qualification. 
Also, it is natural to suppose, that the editor would not have failed to 
give fuller details of the last days and labors of John Comer than I 
have been able to supply, and that he would have given some account 
of his posterity. A son, named also John Comer, was — according to 



INTRODUCTION. n 



Morgan Edwards and Backus— a member of the Baptist church in 
Warren, R. I. This and much more would, I presume, have been 
traced out and recorded. But God has willed otherwise, and we bow 
with submission to his will, thankful that the careful and scholarly 
method of Dr. Barrows enables us to rescue from loss and give to the 
public such a large and valuable portion of what he had intended to 
contribute to history. It only remains to give a brief notice of his life 
and character, and to pay a brief tribute to his memory. 

COMFORT EDWIN BARROWS was born in Attleboro, Mass., De- 
cember 11, 1831 ; was baptized at Providence, R. I., by S. W. Field, d.d., 
May 25, 1850, becoming a member of the Central Baptist Church 
(Old "Pine Street"); was graduated from Brown University in 1858 
and from the Theological Institution at Newton in 1861. He was almost 
immediately settled as pastor of the Baptist church at South Danvers 
(now Peabody), Mass., where he was ordained December 25, 1861 He 
removed to Newport, R. I., in 1865, settling as pastor with the First 
Baptist Church, and remaining in that relation almost nineteen years 
and until his death, which occurred, after a brief illness, December 26, 
1883. 

He gave his whole heart to his work. He was a faithful pastor, an 
instructive and thoroughly biblical preacher, a wise administrator, and 
a diligent student. He made large acquirements in biblical and theo- 
logical learning. He had a special fondness for the study of philosophy 
Christian doctrine, and church history. His personal character was 
marked by spotless integrity and purity, deep and spiritual piety, and 
Uenli eSS ' and WaS adorned b ^ cour tesy, sympathy, and gen- 

Such a man's work could not be circumscribed by " parish limits " 

He was known in Newport not only as a chief factor in the religious life 

ii ?. het0 T' bUt alS0aS ares P ected and influential citizen, interested in 

all benevolent and literary projects. He rose to a high position in his de- 

n ??iu atl £ n- , He UOt ° nly Wr0te an able and valuable historical sketch 
of The Development of Baptist Principles in Rhode Island » >-as well 
as other small works-but in many ways he helped to make history. 
He had positive convictions concerning Christian doctrine and church 
order, based upon his study of the Bible-the one authority which he 
reverently accepted as final and infallible. These convictions made 
him a regular Baptist of the American type, and circumstances made 
Him a special champion of certain essential features of Baptist doctrine 



1 One of the publications of the American Baptist Publication Society. 



12 INTRODUCTION. 



and practice. By no means disposed to contention, or even to contro- 
versy, with a mind of judicial temper, he never shrank from the path 
of duty. He knew how to promote and defend what he believed to be the 
cause of truth and of Christ himself, with patient persistence and with 
vigilance, firmness, and wisdom. He knew also how to act this import- 
ant part without rashness or bitterness in a broad and moderate spirit, 
without compromise and yet with abounding charity to all, " speaking 
the truth in love." He was, therefore, by the grace of God, equal to 
every emergency, and his influence continually grew. The fruits of his 
labors and of his leadership remain his noblest monument. 

He was frequently called to positions of honor and trust. He was 
twice chosen President of the Rhode Island Baptist State Convention ; 
was elected trustee of Brown University in 1878, and was, for one term 
at least, on the Board of Managers of the American Baptist Missionary 
Union. He received the honorary degree of Doctor in Divinity from 
Colby University, in 1881. 

It will surprise no one who reads his notes in this volume, to know 
that in the necrology of his alma mater it is said of him that " he had a 
true historic spirit, which became stronger and more active by investi- 
gations and writings, which were characterized by thoroughness and 
accuracy, by candor and a singleness of devotion to the pursuit and 
attainment of truth." 

The worth of Dr. Barrows was fully known, however, only in the 
daily walks of pastoral duty and in the sacred enclosure of his home. 
He was married January 1, 1862. His wife was Harriet Willmarth, the 
eldest daughter of the Rev. Erastus Willard, for more than twenty years 
Baptist missionary in France. Mrs. Barrows was a woman of high men- 
tal and social endowments, and " the heart of her husband safely trusted 
in her." 

Her death, March 13, 1883, was a crushing blow to him, and at first 
it seemed that he would never rally from it. At length, however, he 
had risen above the first stunning shock of his great affliction, and had 
girded himself to return to " life and to duty with undismayed heart." 
The touching dedication of this volume to the memory of the departed 
wife, shows at once the depth of his undying affection and his brave 
resolve, inspired by her memory, to devote himself to " higher service " 
for God and for mankind. This dedication I regard as a precious sou- 
venir of them both. I found it, in pencil, among the notes and memo- 
randa, and it is given verbatim as its author left it. Its last words seem 
almost prophetic. The providence of God has removed him from all 
earthly endeavor, and his aspiration for " higher service " in this life 
must remain unfulfilled ; but all who knew him and loved him will take 



INTRODUCTION. 13 



comfort in the assurance that he has only been called to a higher 
service, indeed, in a more perfect life. 

The Comer of the olden time, with his simple faith and quaint ways, 
the Barrows of the later time, with his riper culture and wider knowl- 
edge, but with equal faith in God and in his Holy Word— both faithful 
workmen in the same vineyard ; both true servants of the same Master ; 
both worthy successors of John Clarke ; both having hearts loyal to 
God and sturdy in obedience to him and the defense of his truth ; both 
loving and lovable in the daily walks of life ; both called to " higher ser- 
vice "in the midst of their usefulness and promise— in this volume 
clasp hands across the generations, and being dead, yet speak. 

James W. Willmabth. 
Roxborough, Philadelphia, Oct. 15, 1892. 



Remember the former things of old, for lam God and there is 
none else. — Isa. Ifi : 9. 

And thou shalt remember all the way which Jehovah thy God 
has led thee. — Deut. 8 : 2. 



So, on and on, through many an opening door, 

That gladly opens to the key I bring. 

From brightening court to court of Christ, my King, 
Hope-fed, love-fed, I journey evermore. 

At last I trust these changing scenes will cease ; 

There is a court I hear where he abides ; 

No door beyond that further glory hides : 
My host at home, all change is changed to peace. 

William C. Wilkinson. 



14 



THE DIARY OF 



fM~& 



I begin this book in ye first place with an account 
Ang. i, 1704. o j my ^ irth w hich was on ye first day of August in 
y e year, on Tuesday, 1704. 

The place of my nativity was Boston in N. England. I was 
the eldest son of my parents, viz. Mr. John and Mrs. Mary 
Comer. 

I desire to eye ye singular Providence of God in granting my 
birth in a land of gospel light where I was favoured with a 
religious education, having each of my grandmothers, viz. Mrs. 
Elinor Comer and Mrs. Mary Pittom, noted among ye godly for 
eminent and exemplary piety. 

My dear and honoured father, Mr. John Comer, 
engaged in a voyage to England, but touching first 
at South Carolina was soon taken sick with ye prevailing sick- 
ness of y* country, and in a few days exchanged as I trust Earth 
for Heaven, on ye 12th of July 1706, in ye 32d year of his age, I 
then lacking about 3 weeks of two years of age. 

'Tis notable y* the very night he died he appeared to my 
mother, being then in Boston, with a bloody handkerchief in 
his hand. Note, he bled much in his sickness. 

This spring I was put to school to Mrs. Gibson, and 
continued w th her some years, till I came to remem- 
ber some things myself. I bless God for ye care taken of me 
when I was so young y* I might learn to read ye holy Scriptures. 
This day my mother was married to Mr. John 
Phillips, of Boston, by whom she had two children, 
a son and a daughter. 

This day I was five years old. This year I first 

u «f- < ° 9 - remembered things ; the first thing was my dear 

grandmother Mrs. Mary Pittom taking me into her chamber 

15 



16 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

every evening before I went to bed, and she kneeling down 
by y e bedside caused me to do so too and used to dedicate 
me to y e Lord. I to this day (and hope ever shall) remember 
that one sentence in her prayer, viz. Lord remember this child 
and make it thine in y e day when thou makest up thy jewels for 
Christ's sake. 

My mother has told me y* this year I read my Bible half out. 

This year my father's mother died ; this grandmother was a 
very eminent woman for exemplary piety. 

The holy do they live here forever ? 

This month my mother's mother died suddenly. 

March, 1 11. g^ ^ ^ well - n ye mornm g an( j c |j e( j a k ou t n0 on. 

Blessed are ye dead yt die in ye Lord. She was taken speech- 
less at y e first stroke. 

This year I was put to school to Mr. Ames Angler-, 1 in Boston. 
I think this month was y e great fire in Boston in a 

October. ver y dreadful "manner, 2 about 100 houses burnt, 
together with ye old meeting house and town house. A drunken 
woman living near ye meeting house carelessly set some oacom 
[oakum] on fire, and so fir'd her house, etc. 

Blessed be y e Lord for his remembering mercy at y* time, My 
mother was y n burnt out and had like to have lost her life. I 
was sick at y* time at my aunt's. 

1 Ames Angier (or Anger, as the name is sometimes spelled) was born in Rehoboth, Jan- 
uary 29, 1681. His father was the Rev. Samuel Angier, minister in Rehobotb, and his 
mother was the only child of the Rev. Urian Oakes, fourth president of Harvard College. 
His name, Ames, came from his paternal grandmother, who was the daughter of the famous 
William Ames. He was graduated from Harvard College in 1701, and in 1708 was married 
to Margaret McCarty. The winter before his graduation he taught school in Charlestown, 
the contract bearing date November 21, 1700, receiving as compensation £30 in money, and 
a small quantity of wood. He became the first master of the school established about 
1717 at the corner of West and Common (now Tremont) Sts , Boston. Early in the year 
1720, he " was chosen schoolmaster for a writing school at the south part of the town at 100 
pounds per annum." He died in the latter part of the year 1720. 

For these items, as well as for other facts embodied in the following notes, the editor is 
indebted to the kindness of John L. Sibley, M. A., Librarian Emeritus of Harvard College, 
whose two ample volumes o f 1175 pages on " Harvard Graduates " are a noble contribution 
to the history of his Alma Mater. The second volume reaches down only to 1677. 

2 " The fire of 1711, the most sweeping and disastrous that had yet occurred, burned 
down all the houses, some of them very capacious buildings, on both sides of Cornhill 
from School Street to Dock Square, besides the First Church, the Town House, all the 
upper part of King's Street, and the greater part of Pudding Lane. In all, nearly one 
hundred houses were destroyed, of which the rubbish taken from the ruins was used to 
fill up Long wharf. ' Thus the town of Boston,' says the Rev. Cotton Mather, in his sermon 
on the event,' just going to get beyond fourscore years of age, and conflicting with mu'*i 
labor and sorrow, is, a very vital and valuable part of it, soon cut off aud flown away.' " — 
Memorial Hist. Bust., II., 604. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 17 

In this year (I think) as I was playing a childish 
Aug., 1713. play on a tilter [a teeter] with one Power Merit, one 
of my schoolmates, near a cellar, I fell, by reason of a sudden 
jerk, off into it, among some stones, and cut my head and tongue 
so yt it hung out of my mouth unless kept in by a muffler, and 
none thought I should ever be able to speak plain again ; for by ye 
fall I was entirely senseless. But in about 4 months by a constant 
supply of honey in my [mouth] it was healed ; and y* God who 
is a God working wonders gave me ye free use of yt member 
again, beyond all expectation. 

This summer my mother with my father-in-law 
1714 ' [stepfather] went over to South Carolina to live. One 
principal reason was because he had got two hundred pounds in 
money from my mother yt my own father left for my education, 
and upon my grandfather's hearing of it he pursued him to get 
it ; but he went away thither privately. So I was abused. But 
God has promised to avenge y e wrongs of y e fatherless. He lived 
there about two years and at y e expiration of y m , he having been 
out on his horse came home in a dark evening and going into the 
house came out to look after his horse with a long pipe in his 
mouth, it being very dark fell over a log, y e pipe stem ran down 
his throat and broke and all means yt could be used could not get 
it out. It being Saturday, he continued till Monday without 
speaking and died. Thus ye Lord found out a way in his Prov- 
idence (tho awful) to meet with him. I always thought it a 
judgment. 

This year took some notice of God's goodness to 
me, and began to see so much as excited me to look 
to God in a way of prayer, being I hope in some measure made 
sensible of my sinfulness and unworthiness and of the need I had 
of Divine preservation. To the best of my remembrance the 
Providence yt first stir'd me up was the surprising death of a 
little lad about my age, his name was William Thomas, who was 
playing marvils [marbles] near the Old North Meeting House, 
Boston, and a cart laden passing by, a marvil rolling under the 
cart he stept to get it, the horse starting run ye wheel over his 
head and brake it so yt his brains came out and he died on ye 
. . . He was carried into Mr. Sunderlain's house, where I saw him 
together with multitudes of others ; he look'd awfully. O how 
my soul seemed at yt time when mine eye affected my heart won- 
derfully. I thought, were it my case to lie so bruised and broken, 
and to have my soul fly into the world of spirits, how would it 



18 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 



be ? I was lost in myself. But this I knew, I was strong [ly] 
affected w th it. The next Lord's Day, Dr. Cotton Mather, 3 I 
remember well, preached from these suitable words: In ye 
morning it flourisheth and groweth up, but in ye evening 'tis cut 
down and withereth. This first awakened me. 

This day I was twelve years old. I remember 'tis 
Aug. i, i7i6. remar k e d f m y dear Redeemer yt at this age he 
was found disputing in ye midst of ye Doctors both hearing and 
asking y m questions. Luk. 2 : 42, 4G. O may I conform to Christ 
in all things possible; may I be willing to hear and ask about 
good things. 

'Tis remark'd yt Saint Ignatius was of this age at Christ's cruci- 
fixion, and yt he was the child yt he took up in his arms to teach 
his disciples humility. O may I be humble ; I am sure a sense 
of my sinfulness is enough to make me so. May I be so in deed 
and in truth. 

I having been disappointed by my father-in-law 
March, 1718. [stepfather], by his taking my money from me, of a 
liberal education, ye time being near yt I must be put out to learn 
a trade, and this month there was great concern about one, my 
grandfather inclined to a tailor's trade, but my [mind] was bent 
uponstudying. Only at length 'twas concluded yt I should learn a 
glover's trade, and Mr. Benjamin Harris was pitch't upon. After 
many intreaties I was prevailed upon to comply, and, since it 
must be so, I chose him because my own cousin Thomas Dolbear 
was just gone to the same place being of my age. 

This month I went to learn ye glover's trade of Mr. 
May ' Benjamin Harris, of Boston. 

This day I am fourteen years of age. This day I 
Aug ' 1 ' was bound 4 by my Grandfather, Mr. Jno. Comer, for 

3 Cotton Mather, son of the Rev. Increase Mather and Maria, daughter of the Rev. John 
Cotton, was born in Boston, February 12, lGf>2-63. He entered Harvard College at the age 
of twelve, and was graduated in the year 1678, and May 13, 16S5, was ordained colleague 
with his father, over the North Church [Congregational] in Boston, which position he held 
till his death, February 13, 1728. In 1710, he received from the University of Glasgow the 
honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity, being the first American thus honored by a British 
university. "His learning was probably more varied and extensive than that of any other 
person in America." — Sprague, A?umh of the Amer. Pulpit. 

4 The laws relating to the trades were early transferred from the Old to the New World, 
so far as the nature of the case would permit. In the several Colonies, the statutes relating 
to the service of minors were borrowed from English legislation. Early in the reign of 
Elizabeth, " it was enacted that no person should exercise a trade or mystery without 
having served a seven years' apprenticeship." " This period was thought no more than 
sufficient [to instruct the learner in his profession, craft, or mystery, under a properly 



Aug. 1, 1719. 



THE DIARY OP JOHN COMER. 19 

7 years, to Mr. Benjamin Harris. Eph. 6 : 5, 6, 7 ; 1 Cor. 
7 : 22. 

This day I am fifteen years old. 
I continued in my apprenticeship. I had oppor- 
tunity to read and did improve it ; for Mr. Harris gave himself 
to drinking and company-keeping to excess, and minded nothing 
of his business. Myself and my cousin fared very hardly, and on 
all accounts things went ill as to us in the family ; tho I hope 
God blessed the time to me. 

This year I composed a set discourse (w h was ye first) from yt 
word, Ecc. 12 : 1 : Bemember now . . . May 1 do so. 

I find elevated thought in myself a sin yt those of my age I 
plainly see are addicted to. Young company entices to merriment. 
Lord help me to watch against all appearance of evil, and help me 
to perform all things that are good. 

unhappy family yt I am cast into. No show of good ; neither 
power nor form of godliness. Only lifeless prayer on the evening 
of the Sabbath ; and drink with gaming all y e week. 

This month my mother took me from Mr. Harris' 
une ' ' service because of the extremity of the circumstances 
of his family. Tho he ma:le many words, he saw he could do 
nothing, because my Indenture was not authentick — made with- 
out my Mother's knowledge or consent, only by my Grandfather. 

1 liv'd with him 2 years and one month. Yet 'twas thought 
advisable yt I should follow ye same trade (which I always 
abhor'd). 

jui This month I was put by my Grandfather to Mr. 

u y ' Zechariah Fitch, of Boston, of ye same trade. He 
observing me to read much, frequently said to me and to others, 
I see you won't do for me, for you read too much. At this time 
I applied myself to my Grandfather to go on in studying, but he re- 
fused. I prevailed upon ye Bev°\ Dr. Increase Mather 5 to go and 
ask him, which being done he consented to it. 



qualified master, teacher, or doctor— for these terms were synonymous— and to reimburse 
the latter by service for the training received." The origin of the custom of apprenticeship 
is involved in some obscurity. "So far as can be seen it arose in the Middle Ages." "The 
formation of guilds and corporations of tradesmen in England dates probably from the 
twelfth century, and it is almost certain that the institution of apprenticeships cannot be of 
much later date."— Ency. Brittan. Not till within the present century did compulsory give 
place to voluntary apprenticeship. Reforms of abuses incident to the system were among 
the noble achievements of Adam Smith. 

6 Increase Mather, son of Richard Mather and Catharine Hoult, was born at Dorchester, 
June 21, 1639. At the age of twelve, he entered Harvard College, and was graduated in 
thecl^ss of 1656. In July of the following year he sailed for England in response to an 



20 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

This month I began my grammar with my old 
December. schoolmaster) ]y£ r> Ames Angier, being 1G years and 

four months old. Thus 1 set out upon my studies. 

The latter end of this month the small pox 6 was 
Apni, i72i. b r0U ght into Boston, which was exceeding surprising 
to me. The first man who brought it in died. 

The distemper prevailing in town, some of y e youth of my ac- 
quaintance were taken away by death, which by God's blessing 
tended to blow up y e coal of conviction in my soul and to keep, it 
alive. I thought much about ye angel slaying in ye camp of y e 
Assyrians, as y e sickness prevailed. This put me on ye duty of 
self-examination and crying to ye Lord for y e magnifying his 
grace towards me. 

Being this day seventeen years old, I set it apart 
as a day of solemn fasting and supplication in my 
chamber, to humble my soul before the Lord ; to bewail the sins 
of my youth and of my nature which is y e woful spring of all 
actual transgressions. I bemoaned myself before the Lord in 
secret, and between each prayer I spent y e time in close examina- 
tion and in reading Mr. Vincent's 7 book, entitled Christ's certain 

invitation from his brother Samuel, who was then a minister in Dublin, Ireland. He enrolled 
himself as a student in Trinity College, and when but nineteen years of age received the 
Master's degree. Returning home, he married, March 6, 1662, Maria, daughter of the cele- 
brated Rev. John Cotton, and, May 27, 1664, became pastor of the North Church in Boston, 
and continued in that office till his death, meanwhile serving as President of Harvard 
College from 1684 till 1701. The corporation and overseers of the College presented him in 
16.12 witli a diploma of Doctor of Divinity, this being " the first instance in which such a 
degree was conferred in British America." He died August 23, 172a, aged 84 years.— 
Sprague's Annals. 

The fear expressed by Mr. Comer in his diary, was characteristic of the age. The small 
pox was at that time, doubtless, the most dreaded of all the scourges that afflict mankind. 
" Having been twenty years in abeyance, it renewed its dreaded visitation in 1721. Nearly 
six thousand persons took it in Boston, of whom nearly one thousand died in the year."— 
Memor. Hint. Bos/., IT., 52. During the time of its prevalence, it received the earnest atten- 
tion of medical men, who sought to compel it to yield to their treatment. And the studies 
thus bestowed were crowned with a good degree of success. A wonderful discovery was 
made, and the practice of inoculation was introduced. 

We have a curious glimpse of the prevalence of the small pox, and of the dread with which 
it was regarded, in a letter written by the Rev. Joseph Bellamy, January 23, 1754. Called 
from his rural parish in Connecticut, to become pastor of the Presbyterian church in New 
York city, be laid the case, alter having informally declined once and again, before the 
Convocation of Litchfield County for final decision, earnestly hoping they would 
counsel him not to go, citing to them among other reasons for not going this, "I may die 
with the small pox, and leave a widow and fatherless children in a helpless condition." 

7 This was Thoma* Vincent, a man of considerable influence in his day; was educated at 
Oxford ; became minister of St. Mary Magdalene Church in London ; was one of the minis- 
ters ejected in 1662 for Nonconformity; subsequently, preached at Noxton until his death 
in 1678. During the plague in London, in 1665, he was distinguished for his constant and 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 21 



and sudden appearance to judgment; which I hope was made of 
some use to me. In ye close of ye day I resolved by the help of 
Christ, that if the Lord saw meet to visit me with the small pox 
(which I no way expected to escape) and would raise me up again, 
I would study the advancement of his glory ; and walk in the ob- 
servation of all gospel duties, even to the commemoration of his 
dying love at his holy table. After ye going down of ye sun I 
visited my Grandfather, who was then sick and laboured under 
ye infirmities of old age ; whom it pleased God to call hence as I 
trust into ye joy of his Lord, on Monday, Augt ye 7th, 1721. 

He committed me to the care and inspection of ye Rev<i. Mr. 
Jno Weeb [Webb] 8 and by will bequeathed to me £500. I would 
eye this favor and esteem it as coming from God. This sum was 
to bring me up and introduce me comfortably in ye world, which 
it did. Tho there is one would have had it otherwise, but God's 
holy Providence provided, and diverted all contrary advices. I 
may comfortably take up that word Hos. 14 : 3; Jer. 49 : 11. 

Finding w* comfortable provision God had made for me, I 
acquainted Mr. Weeb [Webb] of my extreme fear of ye small pox, 
upon which he advised me to go to school out of town. There- 
upon, on ye 15th of Augt, i i e ft my former master Mr. Angier 
and went and boarded at Mr. Ephraim Ezbone's [Osborn's], about 
a mile and J from Cambridge, and was recommended to Mr. 
Sami Danforth, 9 schoolmaster of Cambridge. After I was ad- 
disinterested activity in behalf of the sufferers. He was the author of several works, most 
of them passing through many editions. A catalogue of them is given in Wood's Athen. 
axon. UI, 111 l. He had at one time a controversy with William Penn. Edmund Callamy 
says in his Ejected Ministers, II., 32, that he "was a worthy, humble, and eminently pious 
man, of sober principles, and great zeal and diligence." 
The above work on Christ', Certain and Sudden Appearance to Judgment was first published 

r« tl aS , ai \l V0; , WaSP h f hedagainin 16G9as a 12m °; the sixth edi «°n appeared in 
1683, the tenth edition in Glasgow in 1723. It has been once republished in this country, 
at Greenfield Mass., in 1816, a copy of which is in the library of Harvard College.- 
Alhbone's Diet, of Authors. 6 

s "John Webb was born at Braintree, Mass., was graduated at Harvard College in 1708 • 
was ordained nrst pastor of the New North Church, Boston, October 20, 1714; received the 
Bev. Peter Thatcher as colleague in 1720; after Mr. Thatcher's death in 173S was sole 

tt,rl V bM the Rev - Andrew EHot was ordained as his colleague; and died 
April 16, 1/d0."— Sprague's Annals. 

• Samuel Danforth, son of the Bev. John Danforth (H. C 1677), of Dorchester, Mass, and 
a grandson of the Bev. Samuel Danforth (H. C. 1643), of Boxbury, Mass., was graduated 
from Harvard College m,1715; was schoolmaster in Cambridge in 1724, and had been for 
some tune previously ; married, August 14, 1726, Elizabeth Symmes; died October 27 1777 
aged about eighty-one years. He early left the vocation of schoolmaster ; held several civil 
and judicial offices ; was Judge of Probate and also of Common Pleas. During the Bevo- 
lutiou he was a royalist.-Lucius B. Paige, Hist, of Cambridge, Mass. 



22 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

rnitted into ye school, and settled in a religious family, I thought 
myself exceeding happy and hoped I should not be visited w th y e 
prevailing distemper yt was raging in Boston, which I so 
much feared. My hopes upon yt account were soon disappointed 
and cut off; for ye Lord by a strange and undiscovered way and 
means sent it into y 8 very family and no other in y e neighborhood ; y e 
beginning, Mr. Ozbon's [Osborn's] youngest daughter 
October. wag visitecl w j tIl it) ant i m 10 ^yg s j ie (iied.. Tis 

beyond expression to relate wt trouble I was then filled withal at 
yt amazing instant. But upon its breaking out here I betook 
myself to the house of Mr. Jonathan Steadman, in ye middle of 
y e town of Cambridge, so yt notwithstanding my extreme trouble, 
I kept to school. Nevertheless scruples arose mightily in me at 
yt time whether my remove from Boston was not sinful, all things 
considered, and highly displeasing to God; for I going from 
Boston to escape it, and yt coming only into y e family I was in, 
I thought it look't like Jonah's flying from the presence of the 
Lord ; w h word was a very great aggravation of my trouble. On 
or about 

having taken a solitary walk as far as y e Royal 
Oak, which is about a mile out of town towards 
Charlestown, being in a praying posture with my hat in my hand, 
near the 3 mile stone, I used such uncommon expressions as these, 
being in deep distress of soul : Lord, If it be thy holy will yt I 
should be visited w^ ye small pox, I pray thee yt if I am for life 
and there is still any work for me to do for the people yt I may 
have my fears continued concerning my death till y e instant yt I 
know y e small pox is broke out upon me ; and then as a token yt 
I shall live to show forth thy praises let my mind be composed 
under the visitation ; let this be a token to me of my life for thy 
goodness' sake, O Lord. After this I was exceedingly grieved 
fearing it was an unlawful petition and yt ye glorious God would 
be offended at it rather yn answer it. 
About this time ye practice of Innoculation 10 was set up and 

10 Inoculation as a preventative of small pox did not become generally known in England 
till after the year 1717, when Lady Montague wrote her celebrated letter from Adrianople. 
And not till more than a quarter of a century after its introduction did it become firmly 
established. It encountered bitter opposition from the learned, and especially from the 
medical profession. Moore, in his History of Small-pox, written in 1815, states that at the 
beginning of the eighteenth century about one-fourteenth of the population died of small 
pox, while at the close of the century the number had increased to one-tenth. The 
friends of \he new practice in England received, however, instruction and encouragement 
from across the water. In 1722, Mr. Neal gave to the public " A Narrative of the method 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 23 

much esteemed of. Doctor Zabdial Boylstone u was y e chief actor 
in it. The College and School broke up. Mr. Nicholas Cever 
[Sever] 12 one of y e fellows and Mr. Sam 1 Danforth ye schoolmaster 
passed under ye operation. Upon this I joined w th the lawfulness 
of y e practice of Innoculation (tho some wrote and printed against 
it), and concluded to pass under it. Accordingly, I repaired 
home to Boston on 

Being Saturday and rainy weather I thought to omit 
Nov ' 4 " it till Monday ; and on ye Lord's Day ye 

I went to meeting at New North meeting and being 
there, a young man just recovered who smelt exceed- 
ingly strong gave it me, or I catch't it of him ; it overpowered me 
so y* I was disordered all sermon time. Returning home I in- 
formed of y* affair, and expected it working in a fortnight. So 
I was prevented from Innoculation. As to y e soul amazing 
terror I was in about this time concerning Eternity, 'tis inex- 
pressible. 

and success of inoculating the small pox in New England, by Mr. Benjamin Colnian ; with 
a reply to the objections made against it from principles of conscience, in a letter from a 
minister at Boston. To which is now prefixed an historical introduction." 

11 Zabdial Boylston, justly distinguished for his persistent and successful efforts to intro- 
duce inoculation into this country, was born in Brookline, Mass., 1680; Savage, in his 
Geneal. Diet., says March 9, 1679. During the prevalence of the small pox in Boston in 
1721, which was carrying death into hundreds of homes and casting a deep g'ooni over the 
entire community, he became deeply interested in studying a method of mitigating the 
violence of the fatal disease. The method proposed was by inoculation. In his progress 
he was obliged to meet and overcome both ignorance and superstition. He was opposed 
with warmth and even bitterness on the ground both of science and of religion. Learned 
physicians spoke and wrote against him. Appeal was made to the conscience to witness 
against him and his new method. He was even made the object of persecution by the civil 
authorities. It is reported that his life was threatened. Undismayed by his opponents 
Dr. Boylston tried the experiment upon his own son, thirteen years of age, and upon two 
servants in his family, in each case with entire success. During the years 1721-22, he 
inoculated two hundred and forty-seven persons, and thirty-nine were treated by other 
physicians ; and "of these two hundred and eighty-six cases only six died." By invitation 
he visited London, where in 1726 he published a book which he dedicated to the Princess 
Caroline, and was made a Fellow of the Royal Society, " the first American, we believe, 
ever admitted to that honor." He died March 1, 1766, and was buried in Brookline.— 
Thacher's A mer. Med. Biog. 

is Nicolas Sever, a fellow and tutor in Harvard College from 1716 to 1728, was born in 
Roxbury, April 15, 1680, and graduated from Harvard in 1701, one of his classmates being 
Timothy Cutler, third Rector of Yale College. He preached for a time in Haverhill, and 
April 11,- 1711, was ordained minister in Dover, N. H. *He left after a four years' service to 
become tutor in his Alma Mater. He was one of the leaders in a long and bitter contro- 
versy in the government of the college, growing out of the liberal spirit shown by Mr. 
Hollis in connection with his munificent gifts. It was a controversy that became so serious 
as to threaten "the dissolution of the college." Mr. Sever died April 7, 1764.— Quincey, 
Hist. Harv. Univ. Pierce, Ibid, 



24 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 



Nothing but ye gashly [ghastly] countenance of death unpre- 
pared for was before me, and no light of a reconciled God, nor a 
sense of the application of ye sin-cleansing blood of Christ to my 
distressed soul. I remained in extreme terror until the 

of Nov. All ye interval of time I spent in looking 
22 over ye affairs of my soul and on y* day I was taken 

sick. As soon as 'twas told me y t ye distemper appeared, all my fears 
entirely vanished away and a beam of comfort darted into my 
soul and with it a satisfaction from yt word thou shall not die but 
live and declare the works of the Lord. Yea, so great was my sat- 
isfaction yt I immediately replied to my Aunt who informed me, 
Then I know yt 1 shall not die now ; but gave no reason why I 
said so. Then the prayer-hearing God was graciously pleased to 
answer my requests while at Cambridge. So yt under ye situation 
when I was in my senses (for I was deprived 4 days) I was sup- 
ported by yt good word Ps. 50 : 15. The visitation tho heavy was 
made light and easy (I was not totally blind) because God's rod 
and staff comforted me. I lay under it from Nov. 22, to 

on which day I was so far released as to walk 

Decemr. lO, , ■. 

abroad. 
Being restored to my former health and strength 
1722 " again, after so awful and remarkable a visitation, in 
which there were between eight and nine hundred snatch'd away 
by the stroke of death, I resolved to study God's glory as my 
chief end ; and also to follow my studies with my former school- 
master, Mr. Sam? Danforth, of Cambridge, because I delighted in 
y* place. 
Accordingly I returned to Cambridge in the month of 

at which time y e small pox was spreading there. 
Among those who died of it (which were about 
9), Mr. Sam 1 Steadman, a young gentleman, a physician, was one 
to whose funeral I was invited and chosen to be a bearer, with 
w h I complied. He was a near friend of mine and much in my 
affection. O cruel death, and yet kind. 

On y e Commencement Day, one Lamb, a stu- 
dent at ye College in an airy fit got out of ye window 
to go to another chamber, it being ye 3d story, fell down and re- 
ceived his death wound ; so yt he expired in a few days. May I 
take warning. 

At this school I passed thro many of the Latin authors. Here 
I took the sweetest satisfaction. Everything about me wag 
pleasant and desirable. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 25 

This month in Boston the authorities made parchment money, 13 
i. e. } a penny, two pence, and 3 pence. 

This day I am eighteen years old. I find myself 
Aug * ' ensnared with youthful vanities ; O how pleasant are 
they to nature. Lord, grant yt I may not be drawn from thee. 
My companions were at this time very near and dear to me, more 
especially Thomas Prentice, Thomas Graves, John Hovey, and 
Will™ Hobby. Like David and Jonathan to me. 

Having ever since my recovery of y e small pox 
January, 1723. j 00 k.j£ U p 0n myself obliged to serve God in a more 
eminent manner y n heretofore, and looking on myself as having 
ye vows of God lying on me to serve him in ye ways of his Holy 
Institutions and more especially in y e commemoration of his 
dying love at his table. 

Accordingly I earnestly entreated the Lord yt I might have all 
ye antecedent qualifications and all actual preparation for it. That 
word was made useful to me, 1 Cor. 11 : 24, This do in remem- 
brance of me. 

Hereupon I resolved to go and present myself to y e Pastor of y e 
church of Cambridge, Mr. Nath 1 Appleton, 14 who was willing to 
encourage my motion to good. 

is Paper currency was first introduced into New England in 1G90, and was made necessary 
by an unsuccessful expedition against Canada under Sir William Phipps. The govern- 
ment had made no provision for paying the soldiers, relying for the purpose upon the 
booty that should be taken from the enemy. Since there was no money in the treasury, 
and no time to raise money by a levy upon the country, "resort was made to Paper Money, 
then called Bills of Credit." Holders of these Bills eventually lost much by their depre- 
ciation. 

" It is perhaps not generally known," says Mr. Drake, in Old Landmarks of Boston, " that 
a paper currency of small denomination was issued in the Colony (Massachusetts) as early 
as 1722. They were printed on parchment. No other instance is remembered of the 
emission of such small sums in paper until we come down to the period of the Revolution. 
The whole amount authorized was only five hundred pounds, and specimens are very rare." 
Fac similes are given in the work referred to above. Besides the above-mentioned book, see 
Drake's Hist. Bost., and Felt's Hist. Amer. Currency; also Arnold's Hist. R. I., Vol. II., 39. 
The latter says that to meet extraordinary expenses incurred in 1710, " Rhode Island 
adopted the plan pursued by her neighbors. An act for issuing bills of credit was passed. 
Five thousand pounds in denominations from five pound to two shilling bills were issued, 
signed the sixteenth of August." 

w Nathaniel Appleton, for sixty-six years pastor of the church in Cambridge, was a son, 
of the Hon. John Appleton, one of the king's council, and Elizabeth, daughter of the Rev. 
John Rogers, fifth President of Harvard College, and was born in Ipswich, December 9, 
1693, and graduated from Harvard in 1712, " when he was a little less than nineteen." He 
was invited, upon the death of the Rev. William Brattle, to become pastor of the Cambridge 
Church, and received ordination October 9, 1717, Increase Mather preaching the sermon. 
The same year, 1717, he was elected a Fellow of the college, continuing an honored and 
useful member of its government till 1779. " In 1771, he received from his Alma Maler the 
C 



26 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

This day I was received into full communion with 
Feb - 17 - ye church in Cambridge. 

This day was sacrament day ; I enjoyed great corn- 
Lord's d., 24. fort and sa ti s f ac tion in attending yt Sacred Institu- 
tion of my dear Lord. 

On the 24th of Feb. was ye most remarkable tide yt ever was 
known in N. England, y e sea rose several feet higher y n usual. 
Sunday meetings in Boston broke up on yt account by people 
being called to secure things from ye wash of y e sea. 

About this time my near companion Mr. Ephraim Craft, 15 who 
was a member of Mr. Webb's Communion, in Boston, embraced 
the principle of Believer's Baptism, in opposition to Infant 
Baptism, and was baptized by Mr. E. Callender, 16 in Boston. 
In some little time after I met him and manifested my 
concern about yt affair (at this time I never in y e least degree 
doubted ye validity of Infant Baptism); and after some con- 
trary discourse, he earnestly desired me to read Mr. Jos. Sten- 
nett's 17 treatise on Baptism, which I consented to, after much 

degree of Doctor of Divinity, an honor which had heen previously conferred by that col- 
lege upon only one individual, namely, Increase Mather, about eighty years before." He 
died February 9, 1784. — Elliot, Biog. Diet; Sprague's Annals. 

[This "church in Cambridge" was, of course, Congregational. Congregational churches 
of " the standing order," i. e., established by law in Massachusetts and Connecticut, were 
the leading churches of those colonies; the Baptists then were a small, despised, and per- 
secuted people. In Comer's Diary and the Notes, Congregational churches are often men- 
tioned as " the First," "the North," etc., without denominational designation, as was the 
current custom in John Comer's time, for the obvious reason just stated. A little atten- 
tion will show the reader what church is meant in each such case, as distinguished from 
the Baptist churches'oft en spoken of. We note, in passing, that John Comer, at first a Con- 
gregationalist, though a sturdy Baptist, without thought of compromise, and unflinchingly 
true to his convictions, cultivated friendships with good men of other denominations, in- 
cluding those of the communion he had left. For example, be evidently esteemed Rev. 
Mr Clap, Congregational pastor at Newport, and often visited him. — J. W. W.] 

'6 Ephraim Craft was baptized into the First Baptist Church in Boston, January 12, 1723. 

16 Elisha Callender, for twenty years (1718-1738) pastor of the First Baptist Church in 
Boston, was a son of the Rev. Ellis Callender, born in Boston in 1680 and graduated from 
Harvard College in 1710. He was the first Baptist minister in the country who received 
his collegiate education in the New World. He was baptized August 10, 1713, and five years 
later, May 21, 1718, was ordained pastor of the church to which his father had long min- 
istered. At this ordination service, when Dr. Increase Mather preached the sermon, there 
were at least two persons present who remembered the nailing up of the meeting house 
doors by order of government, namely, Rev. Ellis Callender and Deacon Benjamin Sweetzer. 
Mr. Callender was a cultivated man. A correspondence which he maintained with friends 
in London was productive of rich pecuniary blessing to his Alma Mater. Mr. Thomas 
Hollis became a munificent benefactor of Harvard College. Mr. Callender's death occurred 
very suddenly, in the midst of his usefulness, March 31, 1738. — Cathcart, Bap. Ency.; 
Sprague's Ann. 

w JoeephStennett, son of Edward Stennett, a minister of some distinction during the 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 27 



persuasion ; he lent it to me (I did not do it with ye view to gain 
light but only to make objection, hoping to find many flaws in it) 
and I resolved to turn to every Scripture quoted, and not to take 
any one without, and in my so doing I found I had never duly 
considered ye 8 of y« Acts, ye 3 of Matt, and ye 6th of Komans, and 
such like places. 

Hereupon I got (tho privately) books on ye other side ye con- 
troversie and found ym if weighed in ye balance wanting. 

After serious and mature deliberation and earnest prayer to ye 
Lord, I found ye churches not so fully in order in ye point of Bap- 
tism as they should be, tho I valued ym as ye Spouse of Christ and 
would willingly maintain my communion with ym 

But to take up such a cross in my early days, when I had not 
one relative in ye world of yt mind, was exceeding difficult, so yt 
I feared to let my mind in this case be known to any one soul, 
and being newly admitted into full communion with ye church 
in Cambridge, I feared it would be hurtful to ye churches and 
displeasing to God. 

So tho I was satisfied yt my Baptism was defective, I still kept 
in the communion of ye church (being Congregational and in yt 
right as well as in ye essentials of religion); I deviated in my 
mind in no one point save yt, viz. ye mode and subject of Baptism 

I communed with several churches in ye same order as I had op- 
portunity in ye course of Divine Providence. The Old North in 
Boston,** Mr. Cotton Mather, Pastorrthe New North in Bos- 

ffiTn li rr ta 7,r«7r t b0rDin , BerksC0Unty ' En g land ' in 1663 . and ordained March 4 

other Baptist churches He was a fine HeSe^S, ° d ^Z^rnZl^Z 
hymns which are still used in the church." In 1702, he published "an admirable de 
fenseof baptism, in reply to Mr. David Russen's book, entitled « Fundamental, wUh- 
ou.aFoundaion.'' This - Defense" is doubtless the treatise to which Mr. Comer refers 
-Irving, Hist. Eng. Baptists, II., 481-502 ; Cathcart, Bap Ency 
"There were in Boston previous to 1730, seven Congregational churches- First Church 

L ibeo.T^ h *%£!Srt ; Seconcl Church (1650) ' * nown as the ^ SSmE 

a. the Old North ; Third Church (1669), known as the South Church then as the Old South 

S£SS £2 S : New North Church ™ < *~ ™ ££ S 1 ^ 

Besides these there were a few of other names. Mr. Daniel Neal, writing in 1720 says 

tbToTdXrT^^ 

the Old Church, so called, because 'tis the mother of all the rest, whereof the Rev Mr Wad£ 

worth, and Mr. Thomas Foxcroft are pastors; the North Church, wner o ? the D " ct o rs I n I 

SS m U t^ T ar<? PaSt ° rS; the S ° Uth Church ' wh — f the Rev Mr J eph 
sewell and Mr Thomas Prince are pastors ; the church in Brattle Street, whereof the Rev Mr 

bml and ■ T Tl v Vl v ai l C °° Per are P3St0rS - The other *™ <*«"*<* are lately 
bmlt, and are called the *ew North, and the New South; Mr. John Webb being pastor of 



28 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

ton, 19 Mr. John Webb, Pastor; the New Brick in Boston, 20 Mr. 
Will m Waldron, 21 Pastor; the church at Andover, 22 Mr. John 

the one, and Mr Samuel Chickley of the other. But besides the forementioned churches, 
which are properly the Establishment of the Country, there is one Episcopal church, one 
French, one Anabaptist, and one Congregation of Quakers. The Quakers are but few in 
number, though they are treated at present with as much candour and goodness as they can 
reasonably desire ; the Anabaptists art likewise but few, but serious, modest, humble 
Christians. Mr. Elisha Callender is their present pastor." — Neal, Hist. N. Eng., II., 227. 

The Old North, or Second Church in Boston, was formed in 1650. For twenty years one 
meeting house had accommodated the whole population of the town. In the year 1648, 
however, the number of inhabitants had so increased that another was deemed absolutely 
necessary for their accommodation. It was therefore agreed that one should be built at 
the North End, the foundation being laid the following year. To distinguish it from the 
Other, this Second Church was called the North, and in time the Old North. It was some- 
times designated the " Church of the Mathers," because it was for so many years presided 
over by different members of this eminent family. Samuel Mather preached here for a 
short time when it was first formed, though he is not reckoned among its pastors. As 
given by the Bev. Chandler Bobbins, the early pastors of the church were, John Mayo 
(1655-1672), Increase Mather (1664-1723), Cotton Mather (1685-1728). During the Eevolution 
this church lost its meeting house, when it was united with the New Brick Church, the 
consolidated body retaining the name and records of the Second Church.— Chandler Bob- 
bins, Hint. North Ch. ; Mem. Hist. Bost. 

19 The New North Church was organized in 1714, "seventeen substantial mechanics forming 
the nucleus" of the body. John Webb was ordained the first pastor. In accordance with 
the custom of the times the church desired, in 1720, to call an assistant pastor. The 
choice, which fell on Peter Thatcher, was not unanimous ; indeed he had a bare majority 
of one vote, and that was cast by the pastor, Mr. Webb. A division was created, and a 
number of members withdrew. Nevertheless, Mr. Thatcher continued to serve the church 
as assistant pastor until his death. The meeting house was built on the corner of Clark 
and Hanover, then called North Street. — Ephraim Elliot, Hist. New North Ch. 

20 The New Brick Church had its origin in the division in the New North Church occa- 
sioned by the calling of the Bev. Peter Thatcher. The organization was effected in 1722. 
William Waldron was ordained the first pastor. The meeting house, fronting on Hanover 
Street, was built of brick, the first in the town, and was elegant for the times ; it was dedi- 
cated May 10, 1721. This house became subsequently the home of the Second Church, by 
which the New Brick Church was absorbed. — Chandler Bobbins, Hist. New Brick Ch. 

2t William Waldron, son of Captain Bichard Waldron and Elinor Vaughan, was born in 
Portsmouth, N. H., November 4, 1697, and graduated from Harvard College in 1717. When 
the New Brick Church in Boston was formed, he was chosen pastor and was ordained May 
22, 1722, Cotton Mather preaching the sermon Soon after his ordination, he married Eliza 
Allen, by whom he had two children, one of them subsequently becoming the wife of 
Josiah Quincey, of Braintree, Mass. After having preached but six short years he was taken 
suddenly sick while on a visit to a friend, the Rev. William Cooper, minister of the Brattle 
Street Church, and died November 11, 1727. — Sprague's Annals. 

- 2 "The church of Andover was organized October 24, 1645. The first meeting house 
was built near the old burying ground in North Andover, and stood till 1711. The larger 
portion of the inhabitants, for several years after settlement, lived in that part of the 
town. When, however, in 1707, it was thought necessary to build a new meeting house, 
the votes of the town show that the bulk of the population was in the southerly part. 
For, 'September 0, 1707, voted to set the meeting house on th> spot of ground near the 
wood call'd Holt's Wood, where the cross paths meet at the southwest corner of George 
Abbot's ground.' This was objected to on the ground that it would greatly incommode 
the Bev. Mr. Barnard, who lived near the old meeting house. A division took place intn 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 29 



Barnard, 23 Pastor ; the church at Newport, 24 Mr. Nath> Clap, 25 Pas- 
tor; the church at New Haven, 26 Mr. Joseph Noice, 27 Pastor. 

North and South Parishes, John Barnard remaining with the North. Pastors of South 
Church, Andover, Samuel Phillips, 17H-1771 ; Jonathan French, 1772-1809." [Historical 
Manual of the South Church, Andocer, by George Mbuar, 1859.] 
Pastors of First Andover Church, John Woodbridge, 16.4; Francis Dane, 1649-1697- 
- Thomas Barnard, 1682-1718; John Barnard, 1710-1757. Church was divided under 
Thomas Barnard about location of a meeting house. [See Abbot's History of Andover.} 

23 John Barnard, son of the Rev. Thomas (H. C, 1679), was born in Andover, Mass., 
February 26, 1690, and graduated from Harvard College in 1709. After a few years spent 
in teaching, he became his lather's successor as minister of the North Parish of Andover 
being ordained, April 8, 1719. He died while still in office, June 14, 1757. " The peoplefor 
seventy years," during the ministry of father and son, were greatly prospered.— Sprague's 
Annals. 

« Though the Rev. Mr. Clap had with great fidelity continued to preach in Newport 
from 1695, no Congregational church was formed unt.l 1720. Only eight years after this 
result had been achieved, a second church was formed on account of some differences 
that had arisen in the body. The Rev. John Adams, who had been chosen to assist Mr. 
Clap, became pastor of the new church. 

The pastors of these churches were: Of the First Church, Nathaniel Clap (1720-1745) 
William Vinal (1746-1768), Samuel Hopkins (1770-1803), Caleb J. Tennev (1804-1815), Cal-' 
vin Hitchcock (1815-1820), Samuel Austin (i821-1826), Wil'iam H. Beecher (1830-1833). Of 
the Second Church, John Adams (1728-1730), James Searing (1731-1755), Ezra Stiles 
(1755-1786), William Patten (1786-1833). During the spring of 1833, the two churches 
came together and formed the United Congregational Church, choosing for pastor A II 
Dumont.— T. W. Wood, MS. Hist, of Ch. ' 

■ Nathaniel Clap, son of Nathaniel Clap, was born January, 1668, and graduated from 
Harvard College, 1690 He began his ministry in Newport, 1695, and after manv dis- 
couragements succeeded in forming a Congregational church in 1720. Of this church he 
Zth°o t 1D h %^L m £* tMrd of NOTemb ^,and continued in that office until his 
death, October 30, 1 745. His pastorate thus covered a period of twentv-five vears, and his 
entire ministry in Newport a half century. He was never married. He" was a man of 
singular gravity of demeanor. Dean Berkeley, who visited Newport in 1728, said of him : 
Before I saw Father Cap I thought the Bishop of Rome had the gravest aspect of any 

And ^»I'n a "f ** '" in , ister ° f New P° rt has the m °st venerable appearance." 

tn* G . e . or « e Whitene]d,who landed in Newport in 1740, remarked : "He looked like a 

New Fni' ' 7 TTh ?Z *? "* ° f What Stamp those men ™ e ^o first settled 
Si 2Si; BJX^iT ^^ ' WaS SmiDS WUh ° De0f the P^archs,.-Ross, 

26 (Wanting.) 

inVw™***?? ",T/ th \ R f • JameS N ° yeS (HarV - 1659 >' ™ s born ! ° Stonington, Conn., 
in 1688 and graduated from 1 ale College in r09, and from 1710-1715 served as tutor. Presi^ 
dent Stiles speaks in very Laudatory terms of the great services he rendered the college 

leTe'" S 51E2P f ? t h ^ F1Sk ' " W6re the Pi " ar tutoM and ^ glory of the col- 
ege At tne deatn of he Rev. James Piernont, his father-in-law, Mr. Noves was invited 
to the pulp, of the First Church in New Haven, and received ordination July 4 1716 

fndT ?£? 7 £T men ? ed ^ th<J CelebritJ ° f hiS father > Wh0 ™ s P astor at Stonington, 
f PW n t Sra ° dfather > I h0 was the fi ^ teacher of the church in Newbury, Mass A 
few months after his ordination the college was removed from Saybrook to New Haven 
During his pastorate a long controversy was waged as to which of two parties into which 
t J™ f'^ed-the two parties maintaining separate meetings-was the First 

^iZSSgS*" also d0CtriDal differences - Mr - Noycs died Ju - * 



30 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 



These with ye church in Cambridge, 28 Mr. Nath 1 Appleton, Pas- 
tor, were 7 in number. 

'Twas concluded by Mr. Webb yt I should be forwarded if I 
would go and studie with a private minister in ye country which 
I consented to; accordingly Mr. Barnard, of Andover, was 
pitch't upon, to whom I went in 

and while I was a student at his house I communed 
May - w th his church, but laboured under inexpressible 
difficulties in my mind on ye point of Baptism. 

This month one Cornelius Bennett 29 and I finding 
Sept " we should not y* year be presented to Cambridge 
Colledge for admittance we resolved to go to New Haven Col- 
ledge and offer [ourselves] for admittance there, and accordingly 
was admitted by ye Rev<i Mr. Samuel Andrew, 30 Pastor of y e 
church in Milford 31 and Mr. James Pairpoint [Pierpont], 32 tutor 
of y e college. 

28 The First Congregational Church of Cambridge, Mass., was organized February 1, 
1G36 (O. S.). The pastors were: Thomas Sheppard, ordained 163G, died 1649; Jonathan 
Mitchell, ordained 1G50, died 1GG7; Urian Oakes, ordained 1671, died 1681 ; Nathaniel Goo- 
kin, ordained 1682, died 1692 ; William Brattle, ordained 1696, died 1717 , Nathaniel Apple- 
ton ordained 1717, died 1784. [Eight Lectures on the History of the First Church in Cam- 
bridge, by Alexander Mackenzie, 1873.] 

» (Wanting.) 

30 Samuel Andrew, second rector of Yale College, was the eldest son of Samuel Andrew, 
of Cambridge, and was born January 29,1656; was graduated from Harvard College in 1675. 
He was ordained minister at Milford, Conn., November 18,1635. He married Abigail, 
daughter of Gov. Robert Treat " He was one of the original projectors, founders, and 
trustees of Yale College; and after the death of Mr. Pierson, the first rector of the college, 
he was appointed temporary rector," in 1707, and continued to officiate until 1719, 
occasionally repairing to the college at Saybrook and New Haven, but resided at Milford. 
" He was one of the ministers who assembled at Saybrook in 1708, by order of the General 
Court, for the purpose of adopting and recommending to the churches a manual of church 
discipline, called the 'Saybrook Platform.'" He died January 24, 1738. A daughter 
married the Rev. Timothy Cutler, who succeeded him in the rectorship ot Yale College.— 
Sprague's Annals. 

3! (Wanting.) 

32 James Pierpont, who was born in New Haven, Conn., May 21, 1699, was the eldest son 
of the Rev. James Pierpont (Harv. 1681), the minister of New Haven, and Mary, daughter 
of the Rev. Samuel Hooker (Harv, 1653), of Farmington, Conn., and was graduated from 
Yale College in 1718. Tn 1722, he was elected tutor in the college, and was the first college 
officer to subscribe to the new tests of orthodoxy required by the trustees. Being senior 
tutor, he had more than the usual responsibility since there was no rector during his term 
of office. He resigned in 1724. A half sister of his married the Rev. Joseph Noyes (Yale, 
1709), who succeeded his father as pastor in New Haven, and was one of the bulwarks of 
the " Old Lights." An own sister married the Rev. Jonathan Edwards (Yale, 1720), who 
became even more distinguished as a champion of the " New Lights." In the controversies 
of the period, Tutor Pierpont espoused the cause of the latter. He died in 1776. For the 
substance of this note, and for other facts, the editor acknowledges his indebtedness to 
Franklin B. Dexter, Professor of American History in Yale College. Professor Dexter 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 31 



Mr. Andrew acted in ye capacity of a Rector by 
reason of ye vacancy y n made by Mr. Timothy Cut- 
ler, 33 Rector, who had declared himself an Episcopalian ye com- 
mencement before, together with ye tutor Mr. Brown 34 and 
sundry ordained ministers thereabouts. 

Mr. James Pairpoint [Pierpont] and Mr. Willm Smith 35 were 
tutors. The colledge then consisted of about fifty students. It 
was erected at New Haven, in the year 1718 ; but first founded at 
Killingsworth, in the year 1702. 36 

At this colledge I tarried y* winter and had a chamber in ye 
colledge and chambered w th Gideon Southard [South worth] S7 
my classmate, and was under the tuition of Mr. James Pairpoint 
— who was a better preacher y n scholar. 

This month I pay'<i a visit to Boston from colledge 

pri ' ' and was allowed to studie that summer with ye 
Rev d Mr. Barnard, as heretofore. 

generously placed in the hands of the editor, to be freely used, manuscripts prepared by 
him with great care, and after long and painstaking research, from which was derived 
much valuable information embodied in subsequent notes. 

s 3 Timothy Cutler was born in Charlestown, Mass. ; graduated from Harvard College in 
1701; ordained at Stratford, Conn., in 1709; married a daughter of the Rev. Samuel 
Andrew, and in 1719 succeeded the latter as rector of Yale College. Owing to a change of 
his religious views his official connection with the college was severed in 1722, after a brief 
three years of service. He immediately sailed lor England, and received ordination at 
the hands of the bishop of Norwich, and also received from both Oxford and Cambridge 
the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity. Returning to America, he became rector of 
Christ's Church, in Boston. He died in 1765, aged eighty-two. 

3* Daniel Browne was graduated from Yale College in 1714, and made tutor in 1718. His 
office was declared vacaDt in 1722, when, sharing in Rector Cutler's change of religious 
sentimeuts, he accompanied him to England for induction into holy orders, where he sud- 
denly died of small pox. 

35 William Smith, one of the most eminent of the earlier graduates of Yale College, son 
of Thomas and Susanna (Odell) Smith, was born October 8, 1097, in Newport, Buckingham- 
shire, England. He was graduated in 1719, and in 1722, at a critical period in the history 
of the struggling institution, was elected junior tutor, continuing in office till 1724, when 
he resigned. On leaving New Haven, he repaired to New York, and is said to have been 
the only non-clerical graduate of any college residing in that city. He was at once, May 
20, 1721, admitted to the bar, where he attained high distinction. " He was one of the early 
judges of the Supreme Court of New York, mayor of New York city, and prominent for 
many years in the conduct of the public affairs of the Colony." He died November 22, 
1769. Prof. F. B. Dexter, Manuscript Hist , Hist. Yale College, I, 395. 

so (Wanting.) 

37 Gideon Southworth is probably the person meant, Mr. Comer spelling the name 
according to its pronunciation. He was the son of Captain William Southworth, by his 
second wife Martha, and was born in Little Compton, then of Massachusetts, now of 
Rhode Island, March 21, 1706-7. He was graduated from Yale College with the class of 
1727, and was afterwards settled in his native town, where he was married in January. 
1727-8, to Priscilla, daughter of William and Judith Peabody. Upon her early death, ho 
was again married, September 25, 172S, to Mary Wilbor, by whom he had several children 



32 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 



I have cause to mention ye name of that servant of ye Lord 
with the greatest honour and respect immaginable. 

This summer a war broke out with ye Indians 38 while I was at 
Mr. Barnard's, which was a frontier town, and his house was 
garison'd, tho there was continual fear and a town watch or 
military watch rather, yet no hurt was done by ye Indians. 

This month, in the beginning, I went to N. Haven 
Sept " to be there on the commencement and to tarry there 
till ye next spring, having spent the summer in private studie, 
which I esteem y e best. 

A few days after ye commencement was over I was taken sick 
with a fevour which left me low, with a fevour and ague ; upon 
which it was thought proper y' if I could go to Boston it would 
be better for me ; soon after a sloop presented. 

On ye back side of Cape Codd we were overtaken 

October 7. ^fth. an extreme storm of wind and rain attended 

with thunder and lightning in ye night w h did some hurt to our 

vessel, so y* none of us ever expected to see the light of another 

day ; but through God's wonderful goodness ye next 

wednesd., 8. morn i n g we W ere safely arrived in Plimouth Harbor. 

We arrived safe at Boston. 

This day Mrs. Bebecca Burnol exchanged this 
Fryd., io. wor i c i for a better as I trust, and I was chosen a pall 
bearer and accepted. She was one whom I first fixed my affections 
on, and was truly a well accomplished woman, and noted for so- 
briety and virtue ; but in her death the will of the Lord is done. 
This sickness and trouble were motives to stir up my desires to 
obey Christ ; but I seemed afraid, for I had told none my mind. 
Upon which y* word was made of a quickening nature to me, 
He that is ashamed of me and my ways, of him and his ways 
will I be ashamed before my Father and the Holy Angels; upon 
which I broke my mind to Mr. Callender in order to proceed in 
the month of December. 

This day I was Baptized by the Bevd. Mr. Elisha 

January, 1725 Callenc i er am \ was admitted into full communion 

with the Baptist church in Boston, 39 having before 

38 (Wanting.) 

39 The First Baptist Church in Boston was, according to the record, organized "on the 
28th of the 3d month, 1665." The 2Sth of May, O. S., becomes 7th June, N. S. Among the 
early pastors were the following: Thomas Gould, Isaac Hull, John Russell, Thomas Skin- 
ner, John Emblen, Ellis Callender (1708-1718), Elisha Callender (1718-1738), Jeremiah 
Con'dy (1739-1764), Samuel Stillman (1765-1807), Joseph Clay (1807-1809). This list, with 
the exception of a single name, is taken from Beuedict, who claims to have followed the 



THE DIARY OP JOHN COMER. 33 

waited upon the Rev d . Mr. Appleton, of Cambridge, and dis- 
coursed with him on y e point of Baptism, together with my reso- 
lution. Upon which he signified yt I might notwithstanding 
maintain my communion in his church, by which I discovered ye 
candor and catholick temper of his spirit. He behaved himself 
-ye most like a Christian of any of my friends at that time upon 
this account. 

So I tarried in Boston yt winter and resolved to go no more to 
colledge, but to follow my studies privately and to keep for a 
time a school in y e country if any presented. 

Accordingly a school presented at Shewamet, 40 or 

ye lower end of Swanzey, and considering there was a 

Baptist church there, about 8 miles distant, I accepted ye motion. 

This day I set out from Boston to Swanzey to visit 
Thirsd.,May6. ye c h urc h « an( j to keep school, if nothing hindered. 

Church Manual of 1843. We have, however, ventured to insert the name of Thomas Skin- 
ner, on the authority of Mr. Comer, who says, in recording the ordination of Richard 
Dingley, which took place in 1689, as pastor of the First Church in Newport, " The ordina- 
tion was by Mr. Thomas Skinner, pastor of the church in Boston, and Mr. James Barker, a 
ministering brother belonging to this church." There is a letter on record, sent from the 
church in Boston to the church in Newport, bearing date "y 8 25th day of y» 11th month, 
1679," which was signed by " Isaac Hull, John Russell, and Thomas Skinner, in y« name 
of the rest." 

This church in Boston during all its earlier history maintained correspondence with the 
First Church in Newport and the First Church in Swanzey. When a disputation had been 
arranged by order of the governor and council between the Boston Baptists and their op- 
ponents, the First Church in Newport "hearing of this appointment, sent to the assistance 
of their brethren" a deputation, "who arrived in Boston three days before the dispute." 
—Backus, History. I., 301. The minute in the Records of the First Church in Newport reads 
__ as follows: "The Church at Boston Baptized upon profession of faith, being called by ye 
" Magistrates to render an account of their faith together with their Pastor, Mr. Thomas 
Gold, on ye 14th and loth of April, 1668, . . . this church not knowing but y* they might 
meet with some difficulties, and so might want their help and assistance made choice of 
and sent down three messengers to them, viz. Joseph Tory [Torrey], William Hiscox, and 
Samuel Hubbard, who got there on y 8 11th of April." When Mr. Bradstreet was chosen 
governor in place of Mr. Leverett, and their liberties were somewhat abridged, the church 
wrote to their brethren at Newport, 25th January, 1679, '■ that several of their brethren 
and sisters had been called to court, censured, fined twenty shillings apiece and to pay 
court charges," but the officers having the order to execute were not forward in the per- 
formance of their duty. 

40 The original tract of land which was granted to John Miles and his associates, and 
to which, in honor of the old home in Wales, they gave the name of Swanzey, "included," 
says Backus, "what is now Warren and Barrington, and the district of Shawomet, as well* 
as the present town of Swanzey."— Hist., I., 285 ; Baylies, Memoirs of Plymouth, II., 2:15. 

41 This church in Swanzey "is the oldest Baptist church in Massachusetts." Its founder, 
Rev. John Miles, "came with a colony from Swansea, in Wales, and settled in a section of 
what was then Rehoboth but subsequently was set off, and received the name of Swanzey." 
The Swansea church in Wales, which was organized in 1619, brought with it to this country 
inl663the old church records. There was a renewal of church relations in the new 



34 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

This day about noon I got safe to Swanzey and 

ry " ' went first as directed to the house of Deacon Richard 

Hardin — kindly entertained. At night I was conducted to Mr. 

Jonathan Kingsley's to keep as they had concluded. Sent back 

my horse by ye Post. 

This day I visited the minister Mr. Ephraim 

Wheaton, 42 and was invited by him to preach ye 

next Lord's Day, which I accepted. Having been earnest with 

the Lord for y e bestowment of suitable gifts and graces for so 

sacred a service. 

This day I began my public ministry in the town 
Lord's d., 9. ^ Swanzey, in the congregation and by the request 
of Mr. Ephraim Wheaton, Pastor of y e church of Swanzey, from 
those words, 1 Pet. 1 : 16, Be ye holy for I am holy, P. M. A 
large auditory. Thus I hope in the sincerity and uprightness of 
my soul, with a hearty and sincere aim to God's glory and ye ad- 
vantage of precious souls, and under deep humility considering 
my own unworthiness I entered into y e work of the sacred min- 
istry. Who is sufficient for these things. My grace is sufficient. 
I continued to preach one part of y e Lord's Day by the request 
of y e minister. 

This month I was invited by the town to keep the 
Public school, which I accepted, and for that service 
to have 44 pounds a year, tho I engaged only for one quarter. 

This day I went to Boston to visit my friends and 
juiy 30. reC eive my portion. 
Aug. i. This day I was twenty-one years old. 

This day I received my portion of my Uncle, Capt. 
Mond., 2. j ame s Watson, and gave him suitable receipts ; tho 

Swanzey in the year of arrival. John Miles was pastor from 1663 till his death in 1683. 
Samuel Luther was ordained pastor in 1685, and continued his ministry till his death in 
1717. Ephraim Wheaton, having heen associate pastor from 1704, succeeded Mr. Luther in 
1717. and continued in office till his death in 1734. This church maintained a corres- 
pondence with the First Church in Newport, and the First Church in Boston, and with the 
Particular Baptists of London.— Backus, History, II., 275, 433; Cathcart, Bap. Ency. 

*2 Ephraim Wheaton was born in 1653. He served the Swanzey Church for thirty years, 
first as associate pastor with Mr. Luther from 1704 till the death of the latter in 1717, then 
as sole pastor till his own death, April 26, 1734. His meeting house, though in Swanzey, 
"stood near the borders of Rehoboth, and he and many of his people who lived therein 
were taxed to [support] Psedobaptist ministers of that town." — Backus, History, I., 500,509. 
He occasionally corresponded with friends in London. Mr. Backus has preserved letters 
which passed between him and the munificent London merchant, Thomas Hollis. Letters 
of his are recorded in the books of the First Church in Newport. ["Elder" Wheaton 
appears to have been a valued friend of John Comer ; they died within a month of each 
other, and were buried side by side. — J. W. W.] 



THE DIARY OF JOHJST COMER. 35 

in some things he dealt very disingenuously with me, yet I hope 
I can say I forgive him. Far be it from me to do otherwise. 

This day I returned to Swanzey. At y e church 
ryd " 6 ' meeting the 5th of this month, the church chose five 
■brethren to treat with me, to tarry and preach one year with y m . I 
only preached before upon ye request of y e minister. The brethren 
appointed by y e church were : Richard Hardin, deacon ; Joseph 
Butterworth ; Jonathan Kingsley ; John West ; Hugh Cole ; who 
accordingly waited on me, but I refused because by some private 
action y* I discovered I found some opposition to my settlement. 
So I did not promise any time, tho I concluded in myself to tarry 
a quarter with y m . But finding a head like to be made and a 
positive vote in y e church absolutely denied in a wicked manner 
by two or 3 persons who appeared free and easie to my face. 
Having been invited to Newport by Elder Will™ Peckcom's 43 
congregation, u tho very small and low, I thought it advisable to 
go there, things having an ill countenance from yt time to [this.] 

43 "Elder William Packcom [or Peckham, the name is variously spelled] was ordained 
to y 8 Pastoral Office by the imposition of y 8 hands of Mr. Samuel Luther, Pastor of the 
church in Swanzey, and Mr. Samuel Bullock, Deacon of y 8 above s d church, about y 8 middle 
of November, in y e year 1711." 

A letter was sent, under date September 7, 1727, " From a church of Christ in Swanzey 
to a church of Christ at Newport uuder the care of Elder William Packcom and Elder 
Jno. Comer," " Signed by us y 8 subscribers in behalf of y 8 church, 

Henry Sweeting, Elder, 
Epiiraim Wheaton, Pastor, 
Jonathan Kingsley, Deacon. 
Hugh Cole, 
Joseph Butterworth." 

"June 21, 1732, the church met at Elder Packcom's according to agreement. Brother 
Wm. Clagget began the meeting with prayer, y n followed a discourse suited to y 8 occasion, 
after which y 8 Elders of y» church imposed y 8 hands on Brother Wm. Packcom followed 
by a prayer, y n according to y 8 desire of Elder Packcom we proceeded to Break bread, after 
which y 8 antient Elder gave his good advice and Blessing to y 8 church, and y 8 meeting 
ended." Thus was set apart in a most solemn manner a brother to serve the church as 
deacon. — First Church in Newport Records. 

Elder William Peckham married for his first wife a niece of Dr. John Clarke. lie died 
August 2, 1734. 

44 The First Church in Newport, to which Mr. Comer now came, was at the time being 
sorely rent, and was consequently much weakened. Daniel White, who had come from 
England, and was engaged to assist the pastor, divided the church, and setup a separate 
meeting. 

The organization of the First Church was effected probably early in 1638, the year of the 
settlement of the colony. Mr. Clarke began his ministry as soon as the colonists arrived. 
John Wintbrop, the governor of Massachusetts, assures us of this fact in a written 
statement, made that very year; in 1638 he affirmed that Mr. Clarke was "preacher to those 
of the Island." Thomas Lechford, "of Clements Inne," a cultivated gentleman 
who had traveled through the New England colonies, testifies in 16-10, that "on the Island 



36 THE DIAEY OF JOHN COMER. 

This day I went to Newport in order to live there 
Mond , Nov. i. jf things could be made comfortable, having the day 
before preached my farewell sermon from Matt. 6 : 2. 

In my going to N. port I followed ye advice of Mr. Elisha Cal- 
lender, Pastor of y e Baptist church in Boston, bearing date Sept. 
13th, 1725. These are some of the principal heads : 

The first thing you have to do is to consider which congregation doth 
most of all want help, i. e., Swanzey or N. port, and then where you may 
have y e fairest prospect of doing good. These two things I think would de- 
termine me to go to Newport ; and y n besides some other considerations 
fall in which ought to have their force and they are these: Your own com- 
fort in y e benefit of conversation of w h to be sure there is greater choice at 
N. port. And y n again as to your subsistence w h as far as I can learn is as 
like to be as comfortable at Newport as elsewhere ; w l other considerations 
you may have I know not; but upon y e whole I pray God to direct you. 
But if you incline to go to Newport, I must advise you to these things: 
1. To studie well all your public discourses and look upon it your business 
to compose sermons in a handsome style and good method ; 2. Carefully 
avoid all controversies in y e pulpit; 3. Be sure y* you never enter into y e 
contention * 5 y l has been at Newport. E. Callender. 

This day I was called to Pastoral Office in y e 
Mond., i3. c j lurc j 1 ky a unanimous vote. 

This clay two men and a lad were drowned 
Thirsd. m „ e harbour between the fort and y e town, ye 

Decembrl6. " * ' " 

connue [canoe] in which they were sinking under 
them ; y e Lord's Day following I improved yt word, Boast not 
thyself of tomorrow. 

there is a church where one Master Clarke is pastor." Winthrop and Hubbard, in their 
histories, give concurrent evidence; when describing the rise of certain new religious 
opinions on the Island in 1639-40, they speak of Mr. Clarke as the accredited minister of 
a portion, at least, of the people on the Island ; when the people became divided into two 
parties, these earliest historians say that from the new opinions broached, " their minister 
Mr. Clarke, . . . dissented, and publicly opposed " them. The early pastors of the church 
were: John Clarke (16S8-1676), Obadiah Holmes (1651-1682), Richard Dingley '1688-1694), 
William Peckham (1711-1734), John Comer (1726-1729), John Callender (1731-174$), Edward 
Upham (1748-1771), Erasmus Kelley (1771-1784), Benjamin Foster (1785-1788), Michael Eddy 
(1789-1835). 

At the time Mr. Comer became pastor of the church, its meeting house doubtless stood 
on Tanner Street (now West Broadway), opposite the small enclosed cemetery where Mr. 
Clarke lies buried. A meeting house was built on t 'lis site "in y« year 170S upon y e lot of 
land which was given by Mr. John Clarke for y" use of y church." The former'meeting house 
was sold the year before, in 1707, which stood at " Green End." — Ross, Hist. Disc; Hist, of 
Ch. ;.Cathcart, Bap. Eney.; Newport Hist. Magazine, IV., 71. 

* Referring to the division created by Daniel White, who was at this time preaching to 
a party that had drawn off from the church. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 37 



January 1 ThIS d&Y I hegm ft neW y ear « SiuCe * have begun 

1726. ' a ne w service I desire to go on in ye strength of the 

Lord my God and to persevere unto my life's end. 

- Thirsd 20 • This day I cnan £ ed m y condition and entered into 

' ' a married state with Mrs. Sarah Rogers « of Newport. 

I was married by Major John Coddington, 47 Justice of ye Peace. 

Lord's d . ™ S day J gave my answer to tne ca 11 of the church 
February 6. m the affirmative, to accept of ye work of the sacred 

ministry among them. 
Here follows an exact coppie of ye answer delivered publicly in 
the face of ye congregation. 

Newport, Feb. y e 6th, 1726. 

Brethren and Beloved in our Lord Jesus Christ : 

You have sometime since solemnly called upon the Lord of y e harvest by 
humble and earnest prayer y l he would send forth a labourer into this part 
of his harvest, such a one as might break y e bread of life to you and dispense 
y e living oracles of y e holy one of Israel in this place. 

Hereupon you were directed to make choice of the unworthy instrument 
who now reminds you hereof. 

I trust Beloved you have deeply considered the awfulness of ye call of a 
labourer to be improved in God's harvest; with ye difficulties, discourage- 
ments, and temptations, such are exposed to. I have also seriously weighed, 
and humbly spread the case before the Lord, earnestly beseeching him to 
guide and direct me in so important and momentous an affair in being an 
ambassador for Christ to beseech sinners in his name and stead to be recon- 
ciled unto God. Hereupon I have considered 

_ I. What the Lord Jesus Christ expects [from such] as preach the Gospel. 
II. What men expect from them. 

I. What the Lord X [Christ] expects. 

1. Christ expects they should be faithful in it. 1 Tim. 1 : 11, 12. 

2. Christ expects they should keep close to, and not very far from his 
commission to them. 1 Thess. 2 : 2, 3, 4, 5. 

3. They are accountable for all the acts of their office. Heb. 13 : 17. 

4. All such as are called are under obligation to preach y« Gospel. 1 Cor. 
9 : 16. 

5. ^Christ expects his word should not be corrupted to please men. 2 Cor. 
2 : 17. They should keep close to and not very far from his instructions in 
both y« matter, manner, and end, of their ministry yt so they may say as 
Christ did when sent, Jno. 7 : 16: My doctrine isn't mine, but his y* sent 
me ; so St. Paul could say of what he delivered. 1 Cor. 11 : 22, 23. So 
Timo thy must keep what was committed to him. 2 Tim. 1 : 14. 

^ « [It is evident, that this lady was not a widow. John Comer was her first hushand. 
" Mrs." [" Mistress "] is used here and elsewhere, according to former custom, in speaking 
of single women of position in society. E. g. No doubt so of " Mrs." Rebecca Burnoll 
See page 32. J. W. W. 
47 (Wanting.) 
I> 



38 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMEE. 

II. What men expect. 

And here : Men expect y t such should be examples to others in Doctrine, 
in Conversation, in Faith, in Purity. 

I have also considered my own inability to perform these ministerial acts 
which are incumbent on those who are thereunto called, — of being the 
mouth of God's people to Him, and His mouth unto them, — of admitting 
into, and ejecting out of, his visible kingdom, — and of administering the 
Seals of the Covenant to his people. 

But while I was musing and ruminating hereupon, y* precious promise 
took deep impression on me, 2 Cor. 12 : 9, My grace is sufficient for you ; 
and y', Matt. 28 : 20, Lo, I am with you alway. 

When I considered my small standing in y e School of Christ, the tender- 
ness of my years, the smallness of my experience, the various temptations I 
am exposed to, and the greatness of y e work I am to engage in, I was almost 
discouraged. But considering the necessity of this flock of Christ, 

Therefore Beloved in the Lord Jesus Christ, I now by the grace of God 
assisting me resolve to improve my utmost strength that God may afford 
me in this place by a compliance with your call to the work of y e ministry 
among you. This I do in y e name of the great God and the Lord Jesus Christ, 
in the presence of y e elect angels and this assembly, promising by y e help of 
y e Holy Ghost to perform y e ministry you have called me to, agreeable to 
God's word and your expectation, viz., 

To declare y e whole counsel of God and to keep nothing y* I either do or 
shall know to be agreeable to God's will from you; and to administer the 
ordinances of the Gospel — Baptism and the Lord's Supper — as God has pre- 
scribed in his holy Word, without human alteration and unwarrantable 
tradition. So Brethren and beloved in the Lord X [Christ], I humbly beg 
your prayers to God for me to help and assist me in a work of so great im- 
portance which I should have laid before me, but the service of this after- 
noon hath made it sufficiently manifest to you.* So devoting myself to y e 
service of your souls, and y e souls of yours, in y e Gospel of Christ, whom I 
intreat through y e blood of the Everlasting Covenant to make you all per- 
fect, stablish, strengthen and settle you, working in each of you y 4 which, 
is well pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory in all y e 
churches world without end. Amen. 

* Note. — I preached from 2 Cor. 2 : 16, Who is sufficient for these 
things. — John Comer. 

This day I had my Letter of Dismission and Rec- 
Marchi . omm endation from the church in Boston to the 
church in N. port. Signed in behalf of the church by 

Ellis Callender, 48 
Elisha Callender, Pastor, 
Josias Byles, Deacon, 
Ephraim Craft. 

48 Ellis Callender, father of Elisha Callender and his predecessor in the pastoral office, 
was pastor of the First Baptist Church in Boston from 170S to 1718. In 1714, Dr. Cotton 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 39 

This day I was solemnly ordained by fasting, prayer, and the 
imposition of hands of ye eldership, viz., 

Mr. William Peckcom, Pastor, 
Mr. Samuel Maxwell, * 9 Deacon. 

I preached myself that day from Matt. 28 : 20, Lo, I am with 
you alway. Mr. William Packcom gave me the charge, [which 
concluded with these words]: And in testimony of your reception 
to an equal part in ye work of y e sacred ministry, I give you my 
right hand. 

The members of the church when I was chosen to y e Pastoral 
Office were 18 in number, 10 men and 8 women. 

There were at ye same time in ye town 7 places of public wor- 
ship. 50 

Mather, pastor of the Third Congregational Church, addressed him a kind letter, breathing 
a very fraternal spirit, indicative of a changed attitude on the part of the "standing 
order" toward dissenting bodies. This letter is recorded by Backus in his History, I., 420. 

* 9 Samuel Maxwell became a member of the First Church in Newport, and was subse- 
quently made a deacon of the church. His ordination to this office is thus recorded: 
"October 20, 1721, Peter Taylor and Samuel Maxwell were ordained by Imposition of y° 
hands of Mr. Will m Peckham and Mr. Ephraim Wheatou, pastor of ye church of Swanzey, 
to y« work and office of Deacons." — Church Records. Mr. Maxwell was dismissed to the 
Boston Church September 11, 1727, then returned and reunited with the church in Newport 
October 24, 1728, and was again dismissed, May 25, 1732, to the church in Swanzey. April 
18, 1733, he was ordained colleague with the Rev. Ephraim Wheaton ; "but he was un- 
steady in his sentiments, ind in 1738 he embraced the opinion of keeping the seventh day 
of the week as the Sabbath, which caused his dismission from the church, April 15, 1739." 
Backus, History, II., 434. In 1745, having retracted his opinions concerning the Sabbath, 
he took charge of a Baptist church in Rehoboth, but continued with them less than four 
years. A letter of his to Elisha Callender indicated other doctrinal defections. He 
" lived to a great age, and was esteemed a pious man ; but he was so unsteady in his prin- 
ciples and conduct as to cause much unhappiness in the churches." — Ibid 275. 

so Callender says, in his Historical Discourse, " that there are at this time, seven worship- 
ing Assemblies, Churches, or Societies, in this town [Newport], besides a large one of 
the people called Quakers, at Portsmouth, the other part of the Island." Page 120. 

In a letter sent from Newport to a gentleman in Dublin, Ireland, Dean Berkeley says, 
under date April 24, 1729, " Here are four sorts of Anabaptists, besides Presbyterians, Qua- 
kers, Independents, and many of no profession at all.. Notwithstanding so many differ- 
ences, here are fewer quarrels about religion than elsewhere, the people living peaceably 
with their neighbors of whatsoever persuasion." Quoted by Elton in his edition of Callen- 
der's Historical Discourse, p. 31. The Anabaptists, or the " Baptized Churches," as they 
called themselves, were divided into three distinct denominations. Be ides the Regular 
Baptists, there we^e the Sabbatarians and the Six-Principle Baptists. The two former were 
Calvinistic in doctrine, the latter generally Arminian. The Free Will Baptists did not 
appear until very much later. 

Doctrinal views were at this early period held with great tenacitv. With the Six- 
Principle Baptists the imposition of hands upon all believers was a divine ordinance and 
binding on the conscience, and, equally with baptism, was a necessary pre-requisite to the 
communion. 



40 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

Baptist churches. One under hands, 51 Mr. James Clarke 52 and 
Mr. Daniel Wight man, 53 Pastors. My flock, I being ordained a 
colleague with Mr. William Peckcom, Pastor. One 7 th day 
church, bi Mr. Joseph Crandall, 55 Pastor. 

6i "One under hands" designates what was afterward known as the Second Baptist 
Church, sometimes called the North Baptist Church. This was an" offshoot of the First 
Church. " In 1(552," says Cullender, " during Mr. C arke's absence in England, some of the 
brethren [of the First Church] embraced the opinion oflaying on of hands, as necessary to 
all baptized persons, and in the year 1654 or 1656, the opinion [t hat] it was necessary to church 
communion and fellowship, together with their opinions of the doctrines of grace and free- 
will, occasioned some of them to separate, and form a church by themselves, under the lead- 
ing of Mr. Wm. Vaughan." — Hist. Disc, Elton's ed., 118. " These seceders," says Benedict, 
" objected against the old body : 1. Her use of psalmody ; 2. Under restraint upon the lib- 
erty of prophesying, as they termed it ; 8. Particular redemption ; 4. Her holding the lay- 
ing on of hands as a matter of indifference. The last article is supposed to be the principal 
cause of the separation." — History (1848), p. 467. 

The early pastors of this church were, William Vaughan [1656-1677), Thomas Baker, 
John Harden, James Clarke, Daniel Wightman, Nicholas Eyres, Gardner Thurston 
(1759-1802). 

This church became subsequently at one time very large, and numbered among its mem- 
bers many of the leading men of the town. 

The first meeting house of the church was built on lands bought at two different times, 
the first part in 1697, the second part in 1703-4. It is the land on which the meeting house 
of this church at present stands. See notes 178% and 187. 

52 James Clarke was nephew of Dr. John Clarke, and "ordained pastor of this flock 
[Second Church in Newport] in 1701, by the assistance of Rev. Messrs. Dexter, Tillingliast, 
and Brown, of Providence, and continued in good esteem until he died, December 1, 1736, 
aged 87." — Benedict, History, I., 501. 

53 " Daniel Wightman was his [James Clarke's] colleague and successor. He was born in 
Narragansett, January 2, 1668, was ordained in 1704, at which time he took the joint care 
of the church with Mr. Clarke. He continued in office until he died in 1750, aged 82." — 
Benedict, History, I., 501. 

64 This was " the first Sabbatarian church in America." In 1671 several members of the 
First Church, "entertaining conscientious scruples in regard to keeping the first day of the 
week as the Christian Sabbath, withdrew from the fellowship of that church, and organized 
themselves into a church." In the Records of the First Church there is " A brief and faith- 
ful relation of the Difference between those of this church and those who withdrew their 
communion from it with y° '"'auses and Reasons of the same. The brethren and sisters 
were: William Hiscox, Roger Baxter, Samuel Hubbard, Tacey Hubbard, Rachel Lang- 
worthy. Each of whom left y e church on y« 7th Day of December, 1671." This "Brief 
Relation " occupies nine closely written folio pages. The first pastor of the church was 
William Hiscox, who died May 24, 1704, aged 65. He was succeeded by William 
Gibson, who died March 12, 1717, aged 79. The next pastor was Joseph Crandall, who died 
in 1737. — Benedict, Hist., IT., 418 ; Ross, Hist. Disc, 134. The original covenant of the church 
is given in Backus, Editor's Note, I., 325. The MS. of Comer containing it, and from 
which the editor of Mr. Backus' history obtained it is in the library of the Backus His- 
torical Society. This MS. gives also the following item : " There was a Petition presented 
to y e Assembly of Rhode Island Colony by several of y« members of y e 7th Day Com- 
munion y' y e Market which was kept on y 7th Day night be altered to y e 5th Day of y» 
week, which was granted May 2d, 1677." 

65 Joseph Crandall began his ministry in 1715 as colleague with Mr. Gibson, and at the 
latter's death succeeded him in the pastoral office, and continued in (he same till his death, 
September 13, 1737. 



THE DTARY OF JOHN COMER. 41 



One congregation under ye care of Mr. Daniel White. 66 
One Congregational church, Mr. Nathi Clap, Pastor, Mr. Bass 
*y* assisted him. 

One Episcopal church, 57 Mr. James Honeyman, 53 Pastor. 
One Assembly of Quakers, 5a very large. 



56 Daniel White came from the Eev. Edward Wallin's church in London, and with his 
family was received into the First Newport Church. " Mr. Daniel White, Elizabeth White 
and Mary White were received by a letter from a church in Old England, May the 18th) 
1718."— Church Records. He was soon invited to become an assistant to the pastor, the Rev. 
William Peckham, and succeeded in rending the church. The Records say, " Notwith- 
standing all y« advice given to heal y« unhappie division, the flock was divided ; part held 
with their Ancient Pastor, and part with Mr. Daniel White, who was called to ye Pastoral 
Office on ye 7th of September, 1718, while y° whole were united, and by virtue of y« call 
without Imposition of hands, he Administered all ye Special Ordinances of ye Gospel." 
The rest of Mr. White's story is told in the following paragraph from the Church Records : 
"Mr. White held up a meeting in y° town in ye Meeting House w<> was built for him in 
the year 1724, until ye 21st of July, 1728, which House he aud Mr. Bovle sold to Mr. James 
Blackstock on ye 25th of June ; and he took a farewell of ye place on y > 7th of August 1 728. 
Thus the meeting upheld by him finished - and ye only surviving member yt he left 
behind him was a woman," a Mrs. Mary Hamblin. Mr. Blackstock afterward gave the 
building to the Congregational Church for a schoolhouse. 

» " In 1700, after Quakerism, and other heresies had in their turn, ruled and tinged all 
the inhabitants for the space of forty-six years, the Church of England, that had been lost 
here through the neglect of the crown, entered, as it were, unobserved and unseen, and yet 
not without success. A little church was built at Newport, the metropolis of the Colony 
[in 1702], and that in which I officiate in Narragansett, in 1707."— McSparran, America 
_ Dissected. The Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts, incorporated 
in 1702, sent two years later, in 1704, James Honyman as its missionary to labor in con- 
nection with this new church in Newport. The original founder of the" church is said to 
have been Sir Francis Nicholson, under whose auspices Mr. Dockyer, an Episcopal cler- 
gyman, gathered the church early in 1699 Besides receiving stated remittances from the 
mother coo utry for the support of preaching, this church was frequently made the recipient 
of costly gifts from munificent friends. A meeting house having been built in 1702 " fin- 
ished all on the outside, and the inside pewed well, but not beautiful," a bell for the' same 
was received in 1709 from Queen Anne In 1733, Dean Perkelev gave the church an organ 
and the same year .lahleel Brenton a clock for the steeple. The early rectors of the church 
were : Mr. Lockyer (1G9S 1704 1, James Honeyman (1704-1750), Jeremiah Learning (1750-17601 
Thomas Pollen (1754-1760), Marmaduke Browne (17(50-1770), George Bisset (1771-1779)' 
During the Revolutionary War the church was for several years without a minister.— Bull 
Hist. Trinity Ch. ; Arnold, Hist. R. L, I., 559; Newport Hist. Magazine, IV., 7. 

53 James Honeyman was born in England about the year 1675, and was sent to this 
country as a missionary by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts 
commencing his work in Newport in 1704. He made to the Society an annual report of his 
1 ibora. These reports, continued till his death, contain a full history of his life. He died 
July 2, 1750, after nearly a half century of service in the same parish. 

59 " The rise of the religious Society of Friends appears from the most authentic data to 
have taken place in 1644," when " some piously disposed persons first associated themselves 
in religious profession with George Fox."— James Bowden, Hist, of Friends in America 
In noticing the progress of the Society, Fox states in his Journal : "The truth sprang up 
first to us, so as to be a people to the Lord, in Leicestershire in 1644, in Warwickshire in 
1645, in Nottinghamshire in 1646, in Derbyshire in 1647, and in the adjacent counties in 
1648, 1649, aud 1650, in Yorkshire in 1651." Staples, in his Annals of Providence p. 420 Bays- 



42 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 



This month a hardened young man being eom- 
U8 ' mined to prison for theft, attempted to kill himself 
by stabbing an awl into his bowels, and to choke himself by tying 
his stocking? straight about his neck, but was prevented. 1 being 
sent for about i 1 of y« eloek at night to pray for him, he appeared 
ye most awful spectacle y* I ever beheld, for I plainly discovered 
y« sad symptoms of a hard and obdurate heart. The next Lord's 
day I improved publicly that word. Job 41 : -1. 

About y« middle of this month one Hannah 
****■'" Suderiek. a disconsolate young woman, as is sup- 
posed, drowned herself about 11 of ye clock at night. The town 
was alarmed by ye beat of y« drum (the ground why isn't certainly 
known). And in ye afternoon of y« next day one Catharine 
Cook attempted y« like action, but was discovered after she had 
fallen down in ye water : but upon examination before Edward 
Thirston "Thurston]. Assistant, and Job Lawton. Justice of ye 
Peace, she seemed to be under y* power of Satan in a very awful 
maimer. 

On ye evening of ye Lord's Day between B and 9 of ye clock, 
towards the close of this month, appeared a very remarkable 
rainbow in the North west. 

This day. being Lord's Day, one Ruth Dennis a 
young woman about 17 years old. being at home in 
y« afternoon, was delivered of a bastard child, privately, and 
kill'd it and threw it into ye little house, by her own acknowl- 
edgement to me and ye rest of ye ministers of y e town. 

Monday. This day I preached at Xew London, 
Mr. Stephen Gorton's 60 Ordination sermon, from 2 Cor. 

"The first appearance of Friends in Xr~ E ng lax I was in 1656. In July of that year two 
ruination of from Barbadoes." 

But t'_ _ - - vhicfa led to Quakerism >tem to have been earlier in this 

country than in England. 7 .- was one of the fruits of the Antinoniian controversy 
which waxed warm in Boston in 1637. and dr - : :• the shores of the Xarragansett. 

Soon after its arrival thecoma: - ~ewed within its bosom. "There were those 

ie Island who, as eai - nshing still further the principle of the ' Antino- 

i n i ar.s.' went beyond the written word, and claimed to lie in possession of an inner light, 
of a revelation from the Spirit supplementary to that of the Bi : 'e.*' — Barrows' D:rf.lopmenl 
of Baptist Principle* in Rhode Island, fi. of Rhode I •' 

milar affirmation. In consequence of this controversy of 1640 and 1641, some 
became "seekers . . : n the Society of Friends, and by 

their opponents styled Q hen William Leddra and Marniaduke Stevenson 

came to Newport, ir. - : ft - - :"ound their brethren here."' — Boss. HisL Disc-, 

page 131. Thi- - .rsequently became, in Rhode Island, very large and for more 

than a half century perhaps the most influential in the Colony. — Callender, Hitt IHsc. 12"). 

• This Stephen Gorton, who was ordained at New London, was a man of considerable 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 43 



2 : 16, and in conjunction with Mr. Jno. .'.'-- i 3Ir. 

Valentine Wightrnan. ' :: There was a large auditory "audi 

A.- to y* Pleasing on my ministry this year I re- 
ecemr. ce j vfe< i to t h e table of the Lord. 24 persons : out of 
which I Baptized 19 myself from May 26th to Decemr ye 23d. Y« 
other five by other administrators. 

This year one drowned, wilfully to appearance. One wilfuliy 
murthfered her child. 

What I had f jt support from my peoole this year, both from 
the church and congregation, amounted to £85 11=. 6d- 

In the latter end of this month, on y« Lord's I 
' a. : J men went in! t to attend a v 

bound to sea, and coming from I near hei boat 

: and 3 men were drowned, Cone of whom was a man which 
a little before was remarkably preserved IS days in a long boat at 
sea with Capt. M >t). t -:en up alive 

ferryboat. One of y rj taken up al: "A'illiam Pin:. 

One of y" drowned. was Thomas Weeden. 

Thi- ached in pri~.::to P. u:h Dennis upon 

her request from Matt. ^ : . . 

This day -Ir. Hull, a stranger lately from 1a 
cam . having heard me y« day before 

-from Ezek. 33 : 11. He much faulted my sermon. He 
very strange-principled, man, and upon discourse I found him a 
sad and dreadful Antinomic:,:. ■ He Boon went to Boston. 

gifts, and served in the ministry many years, ■ bat he fefl into scene scandalous r""«iTf. 
s.1 : _.• :_..- .;-. -L- r.-i '..- li- -ri — r.i.i-;. n :: ::" 

: - Vie::::r ~'\il.:--iz. . .— ;-iIii: .:' I 1 — vr 1 "". _• _: _ii -.-. . -i.- : - !r-_-.-i :'. - :._= 
r;L:r:: -i --■.-■-::.• i: 1;:: .-_t". :. Z^r.i- : I - >~ • .- 1^ :-::: .:. 1 : - rl At- 11 1-1 :. ~^i 
born in Xorth Kingstown, B. L, in I«L February 10, 17113, he was married to Susanna 
S 

seven miles north of Xew London, in 1705, where he planted a church of the "Si 
r :.-..'..- :zLir. A".".i ..-i :_ ■ l-r": =11:12.: - :' " irir.Lii; ~is .- ■ --1 : -.:,-.;; :; 
their public worship, Mr. Wightrnan i ntrodu ced it into his church, and ifrfrndfi the inno- 
Tation with much abOiry in a pamphlet which was published. ~Xr. Wightrnan's wrcings 
• 'l - :ii: 'l- ---• - r". - :-.-.: : -L-. - \-.z:irz- 21 i ::" ::: ti:--::: --.: - r- - i i -- . .- 

aneed mind, of calm bat derided spirit, of sound judgment, dear convictions, warm heart, 
: i"-i n : :-.->--:-: ------- i -i;i =121 :- li.-. = r : :iii: i- — -_-- i : £ 

He condnaed his ministry at Groton for more than forty years, and died June 9, 1747. ag<al 
sixty-eix years. He was succeeded in his pastoral ofiee by his son, Timothy Wightrnan, 
who also filled the same for a period of more than forty years. 

« It is certainly -dreadfui" when one imagines that the law of God does not concern the 
Christian, tbat it is not to be preached ereo as a rule of life: and "that the evidence of 
justification is to be looked for, not in purity of heart and life, bat in a direct divine reve- 
!--.: i Ihe:ri.:::i :,.-2-i = : !.:-?. -'-.:'- '.iy n .-.'..- ■-: -• ::• i ~ " i: -J-"- ■--'- 
: 



44 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 



This night about 12 of y e clock my first son was 
Pebry d 2. born, whom I named John. 

This day I preached in Boston, a. m. for Mr. Elisha 

Marchig.' Callender from Numbers 23 : 19. This is ye first time 

in Boston. 

This evening a train of combustible matter was laid 

Apni 2. unc ier the floor of y e Old Church porch, and set on 

fire, but was timely discovered so y fc little, hurt was done by it. 

It was a very evil act. 

This day Ruth Dennis was cleared by ye Court 
upon pleading not guilty, for want of evidence y e law 
required. She was guilty in the sight of God who sees. She was 
guilty in her own conscience by her frequent acknowledgments 
to me during her imprisonment, and I never (till she did) thought 
she would plead not guilty, all circumstances were so plain ; but 
was not guilty in y e law. The judge of all the earth will do right, 
he won't clear y e guilty, not one guilty sinner shall escape his 
deserts. 

This month the New English church 63 was first 
Hajr ' met in. 

This day I preached at Swanzey from Phil. 1 : 1,2, 

L j°uiy 23 ' being the first time after the trouble which arose 

about my invitation there to settle. Elder Ephraim 

Wheaton made an exchange with me and preached at Newport. 

Follow peace with all men; as much as lieth in you, live 

peaceably with all men. 

into an equally erroneous position in the opposite direction. Antinomian tendencies ap- 
peared also among the Puritans of England uuder Cromwell. The controversy, earnest and 
intense, carried on in the New World in 1637, between two parties called respectively the 
" Legalists " and the " Antinomians," furnishes one of the early chapters of the history of 
the Massachusetts Colony, and was the immediate occasion of the settlement of the Colony 
of Rhode Island. It is well for us to remember, however, that neither the Legalists on 
the one hand, nor the Antinomians on the other, would admit all that their opponents re- 
spectively charged upon them. 

03 This is supposed to have been the Congregational church, of which Mr. Clap was 
pastor. This church had had a meeting house for many years. " In 1696, the first meeting 
house was built. It stood on a lot of land situated on the northerly side of Tanner Street 
(now West Broadway), between Edward Street and Green Lane. Here services were con- 
tinued until 1720, with varied results."— T. W. Wood, MS. Hist, of the, Church. 

Neal, in commenting on the affairs of Rhode Island, in his History of Neiv England, Vol. 
IT., page 233, exhibits not only some prejudice, but not a little ignorance. Speaking of the 
first settlement of Rhode Island and its subsequent history, down to the period in which 
he wrote (1720), he says: " It was first inhabited by the Sectaries, who were banished from 
Boston in the year 1639, and has been the Asylum of such Persons ever since; but the In- 
habitants now begin to be more civilized since there have been two Churches in the Island, 
one according to the New English Model, the other according to the Church of England." 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 45 

This day was exceeding uncommon heat felt here 
and continued until Augt ye 7th, many died with ye 
extremity in some places. 

This day Mr. John Adams G * came to town to 
Thirsd.,Au g t5. preach as an ass i s tant to Mr. Clap. 

This day my wife's father, Mr. John Rogers, 65 as 
saturd 7. j trust exchanged earth for heaven, suddenly. He 
was a serious and devout Christian. 

This day our rightful sovereign, King George the 
2d was proclaimed here; before which on ye same 
day y e funeral ceremony of King George the first was solemnized. 
He died June 15th before. All things on this occasion was per- 
formed with ye greatest accuracy the circumstances would admit. 
On the Lord's Day following 

I preached from those words, 1 Kings 1 : 34, God, 

Lord's D., 29. gave j£j n g S l om on. 

This day happened the strongest hurricane that 

septemrie. hath been known it [here ?]. It blew up trees by ye 

roots in abundance ; blew down several chimneys, 

and blew off y e roof of a house, and blew sundry vessels on shore. 

This day being invited (by a number of Baptists at 

October ie. Springfield 66 to pay y m a visit, Mr. Elisha Callender, 

of Boston, having been there and on ye 23 of July 

m John Adams, son of Hon. John Adams of Nova Scotia, was graduated from Harvard 
College in 1721, went to Newport to assist Mr. Clap, and was the occasion of dividing the 
latter's flock. He was ordained pastor of a seceding body by a council which met on the 
3d of April, 1728, the ordination taking place eight days afterward, on the 11th of the 
month. This pastoral relation was severed February 25, 1729-30, when Mr. Adams returned 
to Cambridge, where he died in January, 1740, aged 36. "He was distinguished for his 
genius, learning, and piety." — Sprague, Annals Amer. Pulpit. 

65 John Rogers, a member of the First Church in Newport, and also a deacon, was one of 
the signers of the deed, dated 3d day of March, 1707-8, conveying by sale the meetinghouse 
of the First Church, situated at " Green End," to John Vaughn. The names of those who 
signed "y« deed on y« behalf of the whole church" were, William Peckam, Thomas 
Rogers, William Way, Thomas Pecham, James Franklin, Joseph Rogers, Edward Smith, 
John Rogers. A letter sent by the First Church in Newport to the First Church in 
Swanzey, " April y° 26, 1719," bears his signature with that of six others. At the time of 
the division of the church, caused by Daniel White, John Rogers went into the new organ- 
ization ; but at its dissolution returned to the church, of which he remained a member till 
his death. 

06 The letter of invitation " to y e Church of Christ in Newport," was dated "Springfield, 
Sept. y« 6th, 1727." "At a church meeting, October ye 15th, 1727, information creadibly 
was given [the letter itself from Springfield to the church was for some reason delayed, 
and did not reach its destination till later] y' a Number of Baptized Believers in Spring- 
field had sent to the church for advice and assistance, that y e minister might come up 
among them," etc., it was voted to accept the invitation and that the minister go thither 
to give counsel and help.— Cf. Backus, Hist., I., 575. 



Lord's d., 22. 



46 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

before Baptized 11 persons) I set out on a journey for Springfield 
in company with Mr. Richard Hardin, 67 of Swanzey, [and] Mr. 
Thomas Russell, of Boston. 

In Plainfield my horse broke y e bridge and threw 
wednesd.,i8. me Q g,. ^ut thro God's goodness without any 
hurt to either. 

This day I arrived safe at y e house of Mr. Jno 
Thirsd.,19. D evo tion, at Southfield, being part of four days 
on ye journey. 

Went over to Springfield and find all things agree- 
Fryd., 20. a ^ e# j wro te a journal of this journey distinct, y* I 
carried with me. 

Preached at Springfield from Acts 16: 9, a. m., and 
Jno 17 : 3, p. m. 70 auditors. 
This day Mr. Ebenezer Devotion 68 ye minister of 
TuBd., 24. g ou thfield came to see me and seemed much troubled 
about y e affair I came upon. 

This evening two ministers came to see me, viz. 
Lord's d., 29. -^ Devotion and Mr. Hopkins, and while they were 
with me, as it happened, the glorious God, who is a God doing 
wonders, as well as glorious in holiness, shook ye earth terribly. 
'Tis y e most remarkable Earthquake ever known in N. England. 
It came on about 10 of y e clock in a calm night ; it was universal 
through the whole continent. It awake many yt were asleep. 

This night Oct. 29, 1727, is a night to be remembered and ye 
circumstances of it to be transmitted to posterity. 

This day set out for Newport, and lodg'd this night 
Moond.,3o. at Mr clap's, 69 who is ye minister of Wendom 
[Windham]. 

«i It is uncertain whether or not this "Mr. Richard Hardin, of Swanzey," can be identi- 
fied with the " Richard Hardin " mentioned by Backus in his History, II , 24, who in 171s 
"became both a deacon and the clerk of the First Church in Swanzey." The rascality of 
Hardin was not discovered until 17.-i0, three years after this journey was made by Comer 
to Springfield. This reference may be doing great injustice to Comer's companion on this 
occasion. 

fa This Mr. Devotion, minister at Southfield, or Suffield, son of John Devotion, was a 
native of Bronkline, Mass.; was graduated from Harvard College in 1707; ordained at 
Suffield, June 28, 1710, and died April 11, 1741. A letter of his in connection with this 
movement at Springfield is given in Backus' History, I., 513-616. He married Naomi, 
daughter of the Rev. Edward Taylor (H. C, 1617), of Westfield.— Sprague's Annals. 

69 " Mr. Clap of Wendom," is probably the Rev. Thomas Clap of Windham, who was born 
at Scituate, June 26, 1703, graduated from Harvard College in 1722, at the age of nineteen, or- 
dained as Pastor at Windham, Conn., August 3, 1726, where he continued until 17311, when, 
at the resignation of the Rev. Elisha Williams, he was elected, against the earnest protect 
of his devoted church, Rector of Yale College, and was inducted into office April 2, 1740. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 47 



This day we were lost in ye woods and benighted 
Tusday, 3i. ^ \y arxv i c ^^ V ery cold ; but after some hours got to 
Mr. Jno Green's, lodg'd there this night. Snow fell a consid- 
erable depth. 

This day in y e evening got safe home thro God's 

i^vembet i. goodness and found my family well. I bless ye Lord 

for what experience of his goodness and presence I 

have enjoyed in my journey. The Lord prosper y e intent. Mr. 

Jno Callender 70 preached in my congregation in my absence. 

This day I publicly improved on ye account of the 
earthquake that word Acts 16 : 26, Suddenly there 
was a great earthquake. 

This day a. m. a boat was set over at Point Juda 
[Judith] with 4 persons on board. There being 
another boat in company, but could not help them, but got soon 
to town and inform'd, and with utmost speed a sloop went out, 
and about 8 of ye clock in ye evening found them lying on ye side 
of y e boat with ye sea washing over y m , having lain 7 or eight 
hours, and notwithstanding y e coldness of y e season and y e ex- 
treme difficulties they were exposed to, thro God's goodness all 
were brought safe to town. 

This morning about break of day , a stranger newly 

" ' from England who kept at Mr. Thomas Richardson's 

(who had been observed to labour melancholy) got out of bed and 

went down in his shirt and threw himself into the well, and was 

there found drowned. 

This month one King, a workman at y e Fort, 

going thither from ye Point in a connue [canoe] which 
overset, and he was soon taken up dead. 

This year proved troublesome to the state of this Colony, which 
was in a distressing condition. There never was so many sup- 
porters of y e State taken away in one year as in this remarkable 
year. It looks like a sad token of God's displeasure. Major 
Holden, ass*, first of all about ye month of December. The Hon- 

During his presidency, which was highly advantageous to the college, and while the Rev. 
James Noyes was Pastor of the First Church (See Note 27), the college became involved in 
a long controversy which ceased only with the retirement of the President in 176G. The 
privacy into which Mr. Clap entered was of short duration, for he died in New Haven 
January 7, 1767.— Sprague's Anna/s. v 

70 John Callender, who was to become the successor of Mr. Comer as pastor of the First 
Church in Newport, was now twenty-one years old, and had been out of college four years. 
He was a nephew of the Rev. Flislia Callender, was born in Boston in 1706, and graduated 
from Harvard College in 1723, having been educated on the Hollis Foundation. 



48 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

orable Sam 1 Cranstone, 71 Governour, Ap. 26th. Edward Thirstone 
[Thurston] Ass*, in y e same month. 

At the Election in May the Honourable Joseph Jenks, 72 Deputy 
Governour, was chosen Gov 1- in Chief. 

Mr. Jonathan Nichols, Ass* was chosen Deputy Governour; 
he was called from his office by death in July following. 

King George the first, July y e 15th, left his temporal [crown] 
and exchanged [it], I trust, for an eternal crown of glory. 

This year is the most wonderful y t ever I knew ; this remark- 
able year 1727, in y e memory of man there never was such a one 
known here. In July, heat ; in August, lightning ; in September, 
wind; in October, earthquake; each of these in a very admirable 
manner. Four were drowned, accidentally, as some term** it. 
One wilfully. , 

This year my ministry was crowned with some success, through 
the divine blessing upon it. I received to the Lord's table 7 per- 
sons, 4 of whom I Baptized, and 3 were Baptized by other ad- 
ministrator.;. What I had for support from my people, from the 
church and congregation, amounts to £93 12s. 4d. 

m J This night Mary Dye went and drowned herself as 

Wednesd., ° *> " 

January i7, the Jewry [Jury] gave it; but most concluded she 
1728. was murthered by hcf husband. One of her arms 
was broke and on yt arm appeared 10 black and blue stripes. She 
was not found until [Sentence incomplete.'] 

O Governor Cranston died at the age of GS years, having held the office of Governor 
of the Colony during the unprecedented period of twenty-nine consecutive years, being 
first elected in 169S. Arnold, in his History of Rhode Island, says, " lie held his position, 
probably, longer than any other man who has ever been subjected to the test of an annual 
popular election."— L, 540. " In the strength of his intellect, the courage and firmness of 
his administration, and the skill with which he conducted public affairs in every crisis, he 
resembled the early race of Rhode Islanders. Thirty times successively chosen to the 
highest office, he preserved his popularity amidst political convulsions that had swept away 
every other official in the colony. He was the connecting link between two centuries of its 
history, and seemed, as it were, the bridge over which it passed in safety, from the long 
struggle for existence with the royal governors of Massachusetts to the peaceful possession 
of its chartered rights under the House of Hanover." — Ibid., II., 83. 

W Joseph Jenks, as Comer spells the name in the text, and as he himself spelled it, or 
Jencks as given by Backus, or Jenckes as most subsequent writers have been accustomed 
to write it, was Deputy Governor of the Colony from 1715 until 1721, and again from 1722 
until 1727, when at the death of Governor Cranston he was chosen as his successor, and held 
the office of Governor for the next five years, residing, at the request of the General Assem- 
bly, for most of the time in Newport. He died June 15, 1740, in his 84th year. He married 
Martha, daughter of John Brown, and granddaughter on her father's side of the Rev. Chad 
Brown, of Providence, and on her mother's side of the Rev. Obadiah Holmes, of Newport. 
A letter is preserved by Backus, in his History, II., 23, addressed by Governor Jenks while 
residing in Newport, to his pastor and brother-in-law, Rev. James Brown, pertaining to 
ecclesiastical affairs in Providence. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 49 

If she drowned herself 'tis concluded her husband's 
Fryd., i9. ^ carriage was the cause. 

This day a separation was made in Mr. Clap's con- 
Lord's d. p 21. g re g a tion on ye account of his refusing y* Mr. Jno 
Adams should settle with him, and so Mr. Adams preached in ye 
school house 73 belonging to that society. 

This morning just about break of day a small speck 
Lord's d.. 28. Qf an earthqua k e was felt here. 

This day I prayed with Elder Henry Sweating 74 

March 20.' bein » near the P° int of death —at Rehoboth. 

This day I preached at Swanzey for Elder Ephraim 
Thirsd., 2i. wheaton, it being y e day of public fasting throughout 
ye Province. 

This day I prayed with Mary Bullock, at Re- 
Fryd., 22. j 10 k th, being sick. 

This day a number of Presbyterian Ministers 75 
^ru 2 7 ' came I- town to regulate y e affairs of Mr. Clap's con- 
gregation. Note. They set out from their respective 
homes y e day before upon which one yt was for Mr. Clap said he 
remembered they set out to engage in ye work they effected the 
first of April. 



'3 " Probably standing where the City Hotel now stands." Thomas W. Wood, MS. Hist. 
of Ch. In a private note to the editor, Mr. Wood says, "'The City Hotel' was the same 
hotel as is now called ' Park House.' " 

M Henry Sweeting was an elder of the Swanzey Church. The officers of the early Bap- 
tist churches in this country seem to have been: 1. Pastor, 2. Elders, 3. Deacons. The 
Swanzey church having sent delegates to sit in the Council at Newport to examine into 
the alleged malfeasance of an "assign" of the John Clarke estates who returned without 
action was highly displeased on account of it, as the church's letter to Newport "dated 
June 4, 1719, witnesses ; signed in y« Name and behalf of the Church, 

By Ephraim Wheaton, Pastor, 

Henry Sweeting, Ruling Elder, 
Richabd Hardin, 
John Devotion." 

Newport Church Records. 
See also note 43. 

75 The early churches of Massachusetts were essentially Congregational in their order, 
with, however, a strong flavoring of Presbyterianism. While every congregation con- 
tained within itself the power of self-government, every congregation or church had a 
board of elders or presbyters to which its discipline ind government were practically com- 
mitted. "A Government merely Popular or Democraticall ... is farre from the practice 
of these churches, and we believe farre from the minde of Christ." (Richard Mather.) 
The power of church government we give "neither all to the people excluding the Pres- 
bytery nor all to the Presbytery excluding the people." This system found formal ex 
presslon in what is known as the Cambridge Platform. [It may be questioned whether 
there is not here something worth thinking about. — J. W. W.] 
E 



50 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 



This day Mr. Eals 76 preached in Mr. Clap's pulpit 

Thirsd., 4. fr()m Gen< ^ . ^ ^ 

This evening a schooner from ye Bay under ye 
" command of Capto James Emmit in a mighty storm 
of wind accompanied with rain was cast on shore, on a sand beach 
at Westport, in this Colony, and all got on shore, being 6 in number 
(save one Indian girl who was drowned in ye vessel) ; there were 
4 Englishmen and one Indian. The 4 were so far spent with ye dif- 
ficulties of ye storm, after they had travelled some distance from 
ye wreck [that they] dropt down dead a little space from each 
other. Ye Indian travelled a great part of ye night till he found 
a hay stack, under which he sheltered till day, and yn gave in- 
formation so y* they were all taken up and decently buried. 
Taken from Major Stanton's own mouth, of Westerly, who was 
the 2d person y t came to y m . » 

This day also Mr. Clap preached from Jer. 15: 19, A. m. ; Isa. 14: 
32, p. m., and did not invite of y e ministers to preach. These texts 
were wonderfully adapted to ye circumstances, and delivered in 
ye audience of y e council and messengers. Note, this was ye last 
sermon he ever preached in ye meeting house. " About half an 
hour after by ye toll of y e bell, Mr. Foxcroft 78 preached in y e meet- 
ing house from Jno 17 : 11. I attended this meeting. 

This day y e meeting house door was broke open, 
'tis said Mr. Jno Coddington had ye chief hand in it, 

76 Nathaniel Eals, or Eells, son of the Rev. Nathaniel Eells," was graduated' at Harvard 
College in 1699; was ordained at Scituate June 14, 1704; and died August 25, 1750."— 
Sprague's Annals. 

77 "Father Clap" preferred to surrender his meeting house rather than his convictions 
of duty in this matter. Thomas W. Wood, in his MS. Hist, of the United Cong. Ch., says : 
"On the evening of April 24, 1728, ' was another meeting of y e Church (Second), wherein I 
proposed to them relinquishing the meeting house for Mr. Clap to return to it again, but 
was refused;' so wrote Mr. Adams. The First Church immediately commenced their 
second [third?] meeting house, which was finished in 1729, and stood on land deeded by 
Edward Pelham and son for the purpose on the south side of Mill street. This house was 
originally paid for partly by the First Church and congrearation, and partly by monies 
raised by Boston ministers for the Second Church— the latter taking the old house on 
Tanner street [now West Broadway] and old sacramental furniture, and releasing the 
monies and parsonage to the former." 

78 Thomas Foxcroft was born in Cambridge in 1696, and graduated at Harvard College 
in 1714, and on the 20th of November, 1717, was ordained Pas'or of the First Church in 
Boston as colleague with the Rev. Benjamin Wadsworth. When the latter was elected 
President of Harvard College in 1725, Mr. Foxcroft became sole pastor of the church, but 
two years later, in 1727, he received Mr. Charles Chauncey as his colleague in the ministry. 
Mr. Foxcroft was a warm friend of Mr. Whitefield, and ably defended him against the 
attacks of his enemies. He died June IS, 1769, " when he had lived nearly seventy-three 
years, fifty-two of which he had spent in the ministry."— Sprague's Annals. 



THE DIARY OP JOHN COMER. 51 

ye key being purposely laid out of y e way. Mr. Baxter preached 
from Gen. 13 : 8. After sermon y e result of y e council in opposi- 
tion to Mr. Clap was read publicly. 

Mr. Jno Adams was ordained over half Mr. Clap's 
Thirad.,n. church ^ e>) ye Brethren, viz., Richard Clark, John 
Reynolds, Nathan Townsend, Randall Nichols, James Carey, 
Job Bissel, Ebenezer Davenport. The ministers who assisted 
were : Mr. Joseph Baxter, 79 Mr. James Brown, 80 Mr. John Webb, 
Mr. Thomas Foxcroft. About two hours after two of ye min- 
isters went out of town. There were two of y e council yt did not 
tarry till y e ordination, i. e., Mr. Eals, Mr. Billings. 81 

79 "Joseph Baxter was born at Braintree, June 4, 1676 ; was graduated at Harvard Col- 
lege in 1693 ; was ordained at Medfield, April 21, 1697, and died May 2, 1745, aged sixty- 
nine. He published the Massachusetts Election Sermon, 1727." Sprague's Annals. He 
was Moderator of this Council. 

so By a slip of the pen, we must think Comer wrote James for Richard. The record of 
this council, preserved in the books of the First Congregational Church, gives the name of 
Mr. Brown as Richard, and not James. " Richard Brown was born in Newbury, September 
12, 1675 ; was graduated at Harvard College in 1097 ; was settled in the ministry at Reading 
June 25, 1702 ; and died October 20, 1732, aged fifty-eight."— Sprague's Annals. 

81 The Records of the Second Congregational Church in Newport contain the Result op 
this Council in the handwriting of the Rev. Ezra Stiles, which he transcribed while 
pastor of the church. The record is as follows : — 

"A Council of seven Churches met by their Elders and Delegates in Newport in Rhode 
Island, April the 3d, Ann. Dom., 1728, at the desire of a considerable number of aggrieved 
Brethren of the Church and Congregation under the Pastoral care of the Rev 4 Mr. Nathi 
Clapp. 

"After solemn supplication made to God for his gracious presence and Direction, and 
after a calm and strict Enquiry and the best Information we could possibly obtain both 
from the aggrieved Brethren of the Church and Congregation and others concerned, we 
come to the following Result unanimously agreed in Council upon mature deliberation : 

"Altho' we could Thankfully commemorate and acknowledge the kind providence of our 
Glorious Lord in bringing the Reverend Mr. Clap to this place, making him the happy In- 
strument of Founding a Ciurch here according to the order of the Gospell, and manifesting 
a gracious Presence of the Holy Spirit with him in the success of his labours; and there- 
fore would honour him highly for his work's sake: Yet withal (after an impartial and 
thorow examination of the several articles of Grievance, which a number of his brethren 
have Exhibited to us in writing, a copy whereof we have given him, to which he refuses to 
give us any answer, tho often urged thereunto) We cannot but say we find sorrowful occa- 
sion to remark upon his want of a due Conduct in several late Instances which is matter of 
great grief to us, and we think Justly offensive to this [these] Brethren, and to the Churches 
of Christ — as 

" Particularly, his refusing to Administer the Lord's Supper for the term of 4 years 
Together (notwithstanding the urgent desire of his Church and repeated Exhortation 
from his neighboring Brethren in the ministry) without giving any satisfactory reason, we 
judge to be very disorderly; a Reproach to our holy religion, and a breach of Solemn 
Church Covenant: For tho he hath sometimes pleaded bodily indisposition as the occasion 
of this neglect; Yet we think even in that case we may without any breach of Christian 
Charity say there was a want of due regard to the Institution of Christ, In that he did not 
Invite in the Pastors of some of the neighboring Churches who might easily have been ob- 



52 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

These things I make a remark on that so I may take notice of 
ye working of Divine Providence in such a proceeding. 

tained to Administer the ordinance in such a case of necessity ; Especially when the 
brethren of the Church so earnestly Desired to Enjoy the precious institution. 

"Again, tho we find he has' lately administered the ordinance and would rejoice in 
his being able to attend his Duty in that matter; Yet we think that even then he was 
faulty, and acted contrary to the rules of Christian Charity and prudence in administering 
it to a small part of the Brethren of the Church without giving at the first time . . . [foot 
of page lorn off, part of two lines] calling in an Ecclesiastical Council to consider and 
advise upon the difficulties and differences in the Church. 

" Again, his manner of admitting persons into the Church we find Exceptional in several 
Instances — Particularly, his taking in a woman very lately without proposing her publicly 
to the Church for their consent, is judged to be a violation of Gospell order, an unwarranted 
invasion upon the Liberty of the Brotherhood, and just matter of grievance to them. 

"Further, as to his administration of the holy ordinance of Baptism, we find several 
things exceptional and very irregular objected against him, Particularly in the case of Mr. 
Randall Nicholls' child, and adult persons not being seasonably propounded. 

"And then, as to his conduct with relation to the affair of Mr. Adams' Settlem 4 as a col- 
league with him in the ministry, we Judge itin all regards to be very strange, and his re- 
fusing to Consent to the Vote of his Church and Congregation in that matte", without 
giving any kind of reason, carries with it the lace of a reproachable self will'dness, and ap- 
pears very plainly to be the unhappy means of that sorrowful Contention whereby religion 
suffers and order in the Church so much obstructed as at this day. 

" We find that Mr. Adams hath received a Valid Call to settle in this ministry in con- 
junction with Mr. Clap by Virtue of the aforesaid Vote, tho not so regular in all its Cir- 
cumstances: We cannot find by the strictest Enquiry made that any Just Exceptions are 
or can be offered against Mr. Adams' preaching or conversation : nor can we learn from the 
Brethren who have retracted their Votes (for Mr. Adams' settlem') that they are influenced 
by any other principle but a tenderness to Mr. Clap, and lothness to contradict and grieve 
him ; And therefore the opposition which hath arisen, and is now carrying on to the Ordi- 
nation of Mr. Adams (in pursuance of the call given him) is judged altogether unwarrant- 
able, and without any sufficient grounds to support it. 

" We find about % of the Church and Congregation are still very closely united in 
their affections to Mr. Adams, the Pastor Elect, and that his removal from Newport under 
the Circumstances of the present day is not at all likely to make for peace, nor will it have 
a Tendency to serve the Interest of religion in this place. 

" Further, we think ourselves oblig'd to add, it appears to us that the notion of the 
aggrieved Breth's desire and design to drive away Mr. Clap is altogether groundless and 
untrue; they having unanimously expressed themselves, in presence of the Council, 
heartily willing to sit under Mr. Clap's ministry, if it may be with peaceable Enjoyment of 
Mr. Adams's ministry in conjunction therewith; and that they desire nothing more than 
. . . [bottom of page torn off, part of two lines] such measures in Church Government as are 
Generally practised in the Churches of New England, most agreeable to Gospel rule. 

" We now in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ Earnestly Intreat and exhort Mr. Clap 
and the Brethren who oppose Mr. Adams' Settlem' to consider these thing" in the fear of 
God, and Endeavor respectively a better regulation of their Temper and Conduct for the re- 
storing lost peace and repairing the injured honour of Gospell order and religion. In par- 
ticular, as uprightly Judging it the best and most prop r Expedient for the end ; We advise 
and beseech Mr. Clap and the Brethren to give their consent to the ordination of Mr. 
Adams, as a colleague with him in the ministry, or give us forthwith some satisfactory 
reason (if any such they have in reserve) why they refuse it; or if they continue to refuse 
their consent, without rend'ring any sufficient reason for their conduct, and because we 
apprehend the ordaining Mr. Adams a colleague with Mr. Clap in the Pastoral Charge of 
one and the same flock, under the present circumstances against Mr. Clap's comfort, and 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 



53 



-This is y e second Congregational church in this Colony. 82 The 

the inclination of so great a part of the people, is not desirable: Therefore we advise the 
aggrieved members to appeal to the Church for a release from their special bonds and 
relation to them, and We desire the Pastor and brethren with him to give them a speedy 
and loving dismission in order to their Embodying into a Distinct Church by themselves: 
Which being done, we advise, that the New-formed Church, together with their associates 
renew their call to Mr. Adams and invite him to take the pastoral care of them and if they 
desire a speedy ordination, we cannot but Advise Mr. Adams to consent unto it. 

" Further, it appearing to us, that the aggrieved brethren and their associates have in 
their hands at least an equal interest and propriety iu the meeting house with the others 
concern'd, we therefore are of opinion, and our advice in this case is, that both churches 
meet peaceably in the present house for Publick Worship ; the Rev. Mr. Clap on one part 
of the day, and Mr. Adams on the other, until another meeting house be provided by one 
or other party, and a separation into two Distinct assemblies be amicably agreed upon. 

"Moreover, in case Mr. Clap's adherents unreasonably reject the counsell given them, we 
advise the other brethren notwithstanding to proceeed (with the help of some neighboring 
ministers, whom we entreat to assist them if there be occasion) to Embody into a Church 
State by themselves, and go on in prosecution of the advises above given, and we resolve to 
afford them our best assistance as we have opportunity, for which end y e agree and design 
not to dissolve at present, but (by God's leave) to continue in being for some time. 

" Finally, we commend the people of God with their Pastor and the other persons for 
and with whom we are this day convened to the influence of Sovereign divine grace . . . 
(line gone from bottom of page). And humbly beseech the God of all grace, to pour down 
an healing spirit, for the restoring and Establishing brotherly love and serving the great 
Interests of Christianity and Gospell order in this place. 

" Thro' Jesus Christ our dear Redeemer to whom be glory and praise in the Church, 
World without end, Amen." 

Joseph Baxter, 
Richard Bunn, 
Nathaniel Ealls, 
John Webb (Scribe), 
Thomas Foxcroft, 
John Cushing, 
Samuel Basset, 
Jonathan Williams, 
Thomas Church, 
George Barber, 
Thomas Nicholls, 
Daniel Henchman, 



Pastors. 



> Delegates. 



The Seven Churches, &c. 

The first Ch in Boston, Rev<* Thorn' Foxcroft. 
Messenger, Mr. Jon» Williams. 

The Old S° Ch in B«, Mr. Daniel Henchman. 

The New N° Ch in B», Rev. John Webb, Mr. Samuel Basset. 

The Ch in Reading, Rev. Richard Brown, Mr. Thomas Nicholls. 

The first Ch in Medford, Rev. Jos. Baxter, Moderator, Deacon Barber. 

The first Ch in Scituate, Rev. Nathi Ealls, Mr. Jn» Cushing. 

The Ch in Little Compton,.Rev. Richard Billings, Mr. Tho» Church. 

" Mr. Billings Approved this Result, but rode home and did not assist in ordination out 
of tenderness for Mr. Clap. The Result was probably read without his name. I have two 
copies among the Church papers certified by the Council: [one] as this; in the other the 
ministers' names are in their respective handwriting, and Richard Billings signed with his 
own hand among the rest. Ezra Stiles, Pastor. 

May 25, 1770." 

"2 Callender, in his Historical Discourse, in enumerating the churches in the Colony of 



54 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

gatherers were some yt gathered ye first when Mr. Clap was or- 
dained, which was Nov. 3, 1720, after he had preached here from 
ye year 1695. 

This day Mr. Clap began to preach in his own 
" ' house, 83 had a considerable auditory. 

This day my little son fell headforemost out of 
May S 23 a back window in the lower room, about one p. m., 
about 5 feet high from the ground, and through God's 
goodness by ye administration of suitable means he was cured of 
ye wounds he received in his head in a little time. At first he 
was taken up for dead. O what cause of thankfulness I have for 
this favour. 

About 3 p. m., one Deborah Grinman rGreenmanl 

Frvd 31 t- j 

was kill'd with thunder, at Narraganset. There 
were some things remarkable in her death. Two nights before 
she dreamed yt a woman lay dead in ye same spot she was struck 
down in. She told her sister of it under great surprise, and yt 
she was kill'd w ih thunder. In ye morning of y e day in which 
she was kill'd 'twas very clear, but she apprehended it would be 
a fatal day. And when ye cloud arose she said there is y^ which 
will do ye business. Accordingly she was kill'd in ye same spot. 
She was burnt on ye side of her face, and her instep was broke. 
At yt time she had a child in her arms, which was stunned, but 
soon recovered. 

This day my house was raised, and no hurt done 

Thirsd., , - * ,. , 

June is. by any of ye timber. 

This day Mr. James Blackstock bought ye meeting 

house of Mr. Daniel White and Mr. Thomas Boyls. 

It was a very ill act, both in ye buyer and sellers. 
Fryd., This day Governor William Burnet 84 arrived here 

in his passage to his government of y e Massachusetts. 

Rhode Island, gives the Congregational as follows: Besides these two in Newport, "there 
are three Presbyterian or Congregational churches — at Providence, South Kingston and 
Westerly ; each of them [being! supplied at present with a pastor, viz., the Rev. Mr. Josiah 
Cotton, at Providence; the Rev. Mr. Joseph Torrey, at South Kingston, and the Rev. Mr. 
Joseph Park, at Westerly." 

83 That is, in his own dwelling house, the parsonage. 

84 William Burnet, son of Bishop Gilbert Burnet (of Sarum), was born at the Hague, March, 
1687, and named William in honor of the illustrious Prince of Orange. He came to this 
country in 1720, arriving at New York 19th September; was made Governor of New York 
and New Jersey ; was subsequently transferred by George II. to Massachusetts. " As he was 
to pass through Rhode Island on the way to his new government, the Assembly voted him 
a public reception." On the 12th of July, 1728, " a ship of war from England brought Bur- 
net, the new Governor of Massachusetts to Newport. Salutes were exchanged at the fort, 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 55 



This evening about 8 of y e clock there appeared in 
j^ eS i6' y e North several streams reaching towards y e zenith 
— continued about 3 qr. of an hour. 
Through ye favour of Mr. Jn° Coddington, this day I obtained 
ye report of the council concerning Mr. Clap. 

This day Mr. D. White left off preaching in ye 

Lorcrs d., raee t;i n g house. Here I would note that the trouble 

commenced between him and the church under my 

care in the year 1719, and a separation made ; and in ye year 

1724, his meeting house was raised ; it was first preached in April, 

1725, in which month I was invited by Mr. White to preach 

there. His congregation broke to pieces in ye year 1727 ; and in 

ye year 1728, he sold it. 

This day Mr. White left ye town and went to 
August 7. Philadelphia> 

Lord's d. tju S day I preached in Boston, for Mr. Callender, 
u "' fromJnol7:3. 
23. This day a child was drowned at Connanicut. 85 

This day Capt. Clark and Capt. Elliot went by 
sl^tembfr 4. order of authority after a private schooner, who had 
done mischief, and committed robbery on Gardner's 
Island, but did no exploits. 

This day I removed into my house. The total for 
Mond., 23. building cost £3 2 3 S . 6d. The church gave me 

towards it £43 lis. Od. 

This evening about 7 appeared in y e North a very 
October 2. wonderful light in y e horizon for a considerable time. 

This morning about an hour before day, being in 
' " bed and awake, observing a very uncommon light I 
got up and finding it in y e North, upon steady viewing at bottom 
of the horizon there appeared a thick vapour, and above it a red- 
ness like unto fire, and in ye middle a hundred or more spears 
pointing upwards, extending towards the zenith. The. whole 
body of y e appearance had a slow motion towards ye east, ye 
whole face of ye south was lighted as by y e moon, which y n had 
been set about 3 hours. The redness of y e spears was not at all 
times of y e same brightness, but constantly made a very awful 

a public reception was given him, and the next day he proceeded to Boston." — Arnold, 
Hist. R. L, II., 94, 96. Gov. Burnet died September 7, 1729. 

85 The name of this island, which lies in the Narragansett Bay opposite Newport, has 
been variously spelled : as Quononigutt, Quonanicut, Quinimicutt, Canonicut, Conanicut. 
It was early bought of the nativei by the settlers of Aquidueck, along with Goat and 
Coaster's Harbor Islands. 



56 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 



show, the sky being in other places of a clear blue, and stars 
shining very bright. 

Mond 14 A sloo P commanded by Mr. W m Gardner with 
n " ' whom were Stephen and David Mumford, Peter 
Arault [Ayrault], and two Negroes, was lost as is supposed by a 
sudden storm of snow y* arose. They went to receive prohibi- 
ted goods brought from Holland, but did not do it. 86 It was 
ye first this year tho a very considerable one. 

wednesd i6 This day I P reached b y request at Justice 
' Thomas Church's house, at Little Compton, from 
Jn<> 17 : 3. Mr. Billings, the Presbyterian minister was present, 
and a large auditory. 

wednead 23 This day a PresD y terian church was gathered at 
' Providence, 87 . Mr. Josias Cotton 88 ordained Pastor. 
About this time in ye month Mr. Joseph O'Hara, an Episcopal 
minister, came to Providence from England. After he had 
preached two or three days, on ye 3d he published himself to 
Mrs. Alice Whipple, of Providence. But before he was out, 
published news came yt he was married, and in about 3 weeks 
his wife came. But he denied her to be so, by which he was 
defeated of his new intended match. 

'Tis observed that ye last Lord's Day he preached 

Lord's D., . iii , ,. 

Nov. 3. in y° church, he was by an extraordinary gust of 

wind forced out of ye church in ye time of service. 

It blew in a large window at ye west end, and very much shook 

86 (Note -wanting.) 

87 As was the case in Newport, so was it in Providence, Congregational preaching was 
maintained fur some years before a church was gathered. From Judge Staples, Annals of 
Prov., we learn that " a Congregational Pedobaptist society was formed about 1720 " ; and 
that " in 1723 the society erected a house for worship at the corner of College and Benefit 
Streets." "They h#d no settled minister until 1723," when Mr. Cotton came to them. On 
the day of his ordination a church was organized consisting of nine persons In 1770, 
"the Benevolent Congregational Society" was incorporated. The Society sold its meeting 
[house] in 1794, and built another "at the cornor of Benevolent and Benefit Streets," which 
" was destroyed by fir^ on the morning of the 14th of June, 1814." The following year 
another house was erected upon the same site. The successive ministers have been as fol- 
lows: Josiah Cotton (1728-1747), John Bass (1752-175S), David S. Rowland (1762-1774), 
Enos Hitchcock (1783-1803), Henry Edes (1805-1832). This became "the first Unitarian 
church in Rhode Island."— Arnold, Hist. R. I., II., 77. 

83 Josiah Cotton, son of the Rev. Roland Cotton, of Sandwich, and great-grandson of 
the famous Rev. John Cotton, of Boston, was graduated at Harvard College in 1722, and 
ordained at Providence, October 23, 1728, " eighteen churches being present by their dele- 
gates to assist at the ordination " ; the sermon on the occasion was preached by the Rev. 
Nathaniel Appleton ; having been dismissed he was installed at Woburu, July 15, 1747 • 
being a second time dismissed was installed at Sardown, November 28, 1759 ; and died May 
27, 1780. — Sprague's Annals. 



THE DIAEY OF JOHN COMEE. 57 

the whole house. The next Lord's day his people refused his 
preaching. 

This day a man at Narraganset, digging a well, 
Tues ay 5. a ^ r j ie ^^ ^g. 20 f ee t deep, it cav'd in upon him 
and kill'd. He was taken out next day. 

One Benjamin Douglass, in this town, being in 
drink, going into a little house fell down from ye 
seat and broke his neck — as the Jury gave it. 

This day I preached from 1 Tim. 4 : 6, and insisted 
" ' on ye subject of Imposition of Hands on Baptized 
believers as such, 89 which people took occasion to be much 
offended at — but I refer the whole of this affair [to God]. 

A negro woman belonging 90 to Thomas Wickcom, 
Decembers was found dead in Dyre's swamp. She ran away ye 
day before. 
This day Mr. Joseph Carpenter, Mr. Linzie, an 

Saturday 21. T ,. , , T x , r 1 . , , . 

Indian and a Negro, were drowned in their passage 
from Hog Island to Bristol. The connue [canoe] in which they 
were, sunk under y m . 

This year has been a year of great exercise to me. I have been 
as it were in ye furnace of affliction. The difficulty in my flock 
has been heart wounding, and almost sometimes confounding, 
but I see God's grace is sufficient for me. 

This year there were 6 lost, there were 6 drowned, accidentally, 
as some term it, one kill'd with thunder, one kill'd in a well, one 
found dead with his neck broke. 

This year I received to the table of the Lord 3 persons, two of 
whom I Baptized, and one was Baptized by another administra- 
tor. 

What I had for support from my church and congregation 
amounts to £38 Os. Od. 

89 This sermon was the beginning of all the sorrows which Mr. Comer had with his 
church, to which he so frequently refers, and which were evidently deep and abiding. 
His heart was sorely wounded. The church in opposing what it oonceived to be his 
erroneous notions, may not have exhibited the sweetest Christian spirit. Mr. Comer had 
embraced the opinion, held by the Six Principle Baptists, that the hands of the Eldership 
should be laid upon every believer when he enters the church of Christ. 

90 Negro slavery, and especially the slave trade, furnishes a dark chapter in the history 
of Rhode Island. " Barbadoes was the source whence Rhode Island received most of her 
slaves." In 1715, " Newport, ' as the metropolitan town in this colony,' received a grant of 
funds derived from duties upon imported slaves, for the purpose of paving the street lead- 
ing up to the colony house." In the winter of 1728, the very season when the above entry 
was made in the Diary, the (Jeneral Assembly "prohibited the manumission of any 
slaves, without sufficient bonds first given to thp town for thair maintenance by the owner, 
in case of their becoming disabled. " — Arnold, Hist. li. L, II., f6. 



58 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

About this time I found my people so uncomfortable yt we 
must divide from each other, which was exceeding grievous to 
me. The reason why I received no more from y m this year was 
because they withheld wickedly what I was to have had justly 
by their own offer and former fulfilment because I preached up 
Imposition of Hands on Baptized believers as such (tho I made 
no bar upon yt account), this, and this only was y e reason why 
they began ye quarrel with me. 91 So yt all which I had from 
them for ye service of 3 years and two months, i. e., from the 1st 
of Nov r 1725, to the 1st of January 1729, amounts by the most 



exact account to 


£217 


6s 


10c 


That is, in the year 








1726, £85 14s 6d 


To building, 43 


11 





1727, 93 12 4 


Small gifts, 26 


14 





1728, 38 









£217 6 10 Total, £287 11 10 

Note that there are 35 persons more in the church y n was when 
I came to the Island; 4 yt I Baptized joined to Swanzey church 
who lived there. So that all yt ever I Baptized are 29 persons ; 
and 9 I received to special church communion who were before 
Baptized. The whole church when I came consisted of but 17 
members, 10 males and 7 females. 92 There was no public singing 
till I came, and by ye blessing of heaven introduced it. 93 In ye 
time of my administration there was one excommunicated, Sept. 
11, 1727 ; two set apart, one for drunkenness, one for disordered 
brain, Feb. 22<*, 1728. Three were as I trust thro grace translated 
to glory thro the gate of death. 

Here I think proper to note the line on my father's side, and 
would on my mother's, but I don't know certainly. 
My grandfather Mr. John Comer was born Apr. ye 26, 1644. 
My grandmother Mrs. Elinor Comer was born July y e 20, 1644. 

91 Mr. Comer's language is very explicit, " this and this only was y 6 reason why they 
began y e quarrel with me." Some later writers have assigned other reasons for this sepa- 
ration of pastor and people. The church was certainly very reprehensible for attempting 
to withhold from its pastor the salary due him. No action on his part could warrant it in 
treating him with injustice, or even with discourtesy. Two members influential in the 
body were largely responsible for leading it into this wrong course. 

92 The Church Records say that " at y« time of y e Division in y° church [occasioned by 
Mr. White] there were in full communion 29 persons, 12 males and 17 females." Of these, 
ten "joyned in full with Mr. White in y e time of y e division." 

93 " Singing, which seems to have fallen into disuse, was re-introduced into the public 
worship." Hist, of the Church, p. 30. The church used " psalmody" in public worship as 
early as 1652, and without any doubt from the beginning. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 59 



My father Mr. John Comer was born August ye 12, 1674. 
My mother Mrs. Mary Comer was born May ye 26,' 1680.' 
John Comer, Jr., was born August ye 1st, 1704. 
Sarah Comer was born June ye 14, 1706. 

Here I record the births of my children. 

John the son of Jn<> and Sarah Comer was born Feby ve 2d 
1726 or 1727. J ' 

Sarah the daughter of Jn° and Sarah Comer was born Jany ve 
8tb, 1728 or 1729. ** 

Mary the daughter of Jn« and Sarah Comer was born June ve 
14th, 1731. J 

By reason of building and my people beginning to be uneasie 
with me, I can safely and truly say, Only on ye account of my faith 
in, and public preaching of, ye doctrine of Imposition of Hands on 
Baptized believers as such, I was exposed to inconceivable diffi- 
culties ; for wt I expected to receive of ym as I used to do, was 
in a very sinful manner withheld from me, so yt I was forced to 
improve ye money I took up upon use to defray ye charge of 
building for ye support of my family, for I had but 38 pounds of 
ym f or ye i as t year, 1728. 

Here I shall note the bonds I have given that so all things may 
appear clear, if I should not live to clear ym. 

Sept. the 5th, 1728, I gave Capt. WiW Peckcom a mortgage 
bond for 50 pounds yt I took for me of ye Colony's money, for 
which I am obliged to pay annually 50 shillings; and the whole 
as ye Colony calls it in. 

October the 14th, 1728, I gave sister Elizth Barker a bond for 40 
pounds, to pay annually, £3 4s. Od. 

December the 31st, i 72 8, I g ave Mr. John Odlin a bond for 50 
pounds, to pay annually, £3 0s. Od. 

These bonds I entered into in the year 1728 ; so that all the use 
[interest] I paid this year was £8 14s. Od. 

wednesd., , This da ^ I and m > T P eo P le met at Elder Peckcom's 
Jan. 8, 1729. house and I had a dismission by a vote from ym to go 

to any church I thought proper. 94 
At about 12 of ye clock this night, my second child Sarah was 
born. 



« Changed to 185%. (J. W. W.) 



60 THE DIARY OP JOHN COMEE. 

This day I passed under hands by Mr. Daniel 

Thirsd 9 

" ' Wightman, and offered for transient communion 
until Spring, or till I saw how God in his Holy Providence might 
dispose of me. 

I preached in Mr. Wightman's congregation P. M. 
from Jn° 20 : 17. Mr. Sami Maxwell supplying my 



Lord's D., 12 

pulpit. 



This day Dean George Berkeley 95 arrived here 
with his spouse and a young ladie in companie, in 
order to find a suitable place in America to settle a colledge; he 
was 4 months and 16 days to Virginia, where he made but a short 
stay ; so to Newport he was 5 months. He is reputed a man of 
moderation. 

Being on Saturday evening a violent storm of snow 

attended with sharp lightning and hard thunder, 

which struck y e west of y e English Church broke 9 quaries 

[squares] of glass, melted ye lead in sundry places, and in several 

parts of y e windows it burnt y e frame to a coal. 

This day was found a number of persons in ye act 
of counterfeiting ye public bills of credit of this 
Colony. 96 

Here follows an exact coppie of y e Articles drawn up by ye 
money makers, who were discovered by Mr. Brown (who en- 
graved ye plate) Feb. 17, taken from ye original by me thro ye 
favour of y e King's Attorney, Mr. Daniel Updike, 
19 - Feb. ye 19th. 
Whereas we, Nicholas Oatis, Samuel Hallet and David Rich- 
ards, have unanimously joined in a firm League and Contract to 
use our best endeavors in our respective places to make and put off 
without discovery a quantity of paper money. In consideration 

95 Considering his brief stay in Newport, Dean George Berkeley made a profound im- 
pression upon the town. In pursuance of his purpose to found at Burmuda, or at some 
other more suitable place in America, a college for the benefit of Indian youth, he arrived 
at Newport in 1729, where he intended to make his headquarters, and collect material for 
his contenmlated institution. About two miles out of town he purchased a farm and built 
a house, which he called Whitehall. " Not far from his house, among what are known as 
the Hanging Rocks, is a natural alcove, which, opening to the south and roofed with stone, 
commands an extensive view of the ocean. Here tradition says that Berkeley wrote his 
' Alciphmn, or Minute Philosopher,' which was printed in Newport by James Franklin." 
The Dean was attended by a corps of literary men and artists, among them Smibert, who 
gave an impetus to American art. Soon after his arrival a philosophical society was 
formed, which somewhat later, in 1747, gave birth to the Redwood Library. Disappointed 
in his original purpose, he gave his farm to Yale College, and in 1731 returned to England. 
—Arnold, Hist. R. 1., II., 99; Biog. Cyclop, of R. I. 

ss To counterfeit these bills of credit had been declared felony by an act of the General 
Assembly. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 61 



thereof for a further proof and confirmation of our fidelity with 
respect to each other's safety, we have taken a solemn oath to 
observe and fulfill ye following Articles of Agreement made this 
7th da y of January, in ye 2d year of ye reign of George the Second 
King of Great Britain &c Anno Domini 1728 or 1729 (1) That 
damnation shall be the portion of him or ym (let whatsoever 
punishment be inflicted upon them) who by speaking, writing, en- 
graving, or any other way or means whatsoever, makes known or 
discovers anything of these our proceedings. (2) There shall none 
other be taken in as partner without ye consent and approbation 
of all concerned. (3) No one shall lay any claims to the plate and 
other materials thereunto belonging, but each of us shall have an 
equal share or part therein. Neither shall they be disposed of 
(4) We Nicholas Oatis and Samuel Hallet oblige and bind our- 
selves jointly and severally to print and put off all ye bills we 
make yt the Companie shall judge passable. (5) I David Richards 
oblige myself to use my utmost skill to sign all that is made. (6) 
On demand ye Companie shall produce and give in an exact, true 
and faithful account of ye proceedings, and render to each one a 
third of ye produce or money received without reserving or keep- 
ing one penny to him or y^selves undiscovered to all concerned 
herein. 

None shall put off or cause to be put off above 20s. per week 
without asking leave and getting a toleration granted by consent 
of all concerned. Any one shall at any time call ye rest to pro- 
duce their money which shall forthwith be done; and in case 
there is found diminished of any one's due proportion above ye 
limited sum of 20s. per week without consent, he or they shall 
forfeit to him or ym yt stands clear of this agreement 50 pounds 
current bills of credit out of his or their own stock. 

If anyone is betrayed or is imprisoned or meets with any other 
expense or trouble on this account ye Companie shall out of their 
particular stock, bear their proportion of ye loss in defraying of 
the charge and use all requisite means for his relief. God save 
ye King, prosper our progress herein, and keep us from all traitors. 

Then each and every one of us taking ye Bible in our hands 
swore by ye contents thereof, to observe these Articles of Agree- 
ment and fulfil ye same , as witness our hands ye day and date 
before mentioned. 

Samuel Hallet. 

Nicholas Oatis. 

David Bichards. 
E 



62 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMEE. 

P. S. — Whereas we, Hannah Hallet and Joanna Oatis, have 
been knowing to and concerned in y e foregoing Articles and our 
assistance (as heretofore) will be required to act in our husbands' 
absence in their stead and place, w h we promise faithfully to per- 
form to y e best of our understanding, for ye interest, preservation 
and safety of y e Companie, and as there is none made privie to 
ye s d Articles of Agreement, we by ye above written solemn oath 
bind ourselves to secrecy not to declare on any account wtever 
anything contained therein, as also to observe and fulfil ye afores d 
Articles in every particular, as witness our hands y e 23 d day of 
January, 1728 or 1729. 

Joanna Oatis. 

Hannah Hallet. 

A number of Baptists, Churchmen, and Quakers, 

Marchs. m a ^ 30 persons, belonging to y e township of Reho- 

both, were committed to Bristol jail, by reason of their 

refusing to pay y e ministers' rate. 97 The measles brought into 

town, and spread. 

m nd 10 ^ went to visit y e prisoners at Bristol with Mr. 

Stephen Gorton. Upon ye request of y e prisoners I 

Tuesday, ii. pre^^ed this day in y e old prison at Bristol, from 

Psalm 86 : 11. Sundry of y e town attended ye meeting. After 

meeting I returned home. Blessed be God. 

I think to insert this account. The ministers of y e Episcopal 
church have some of y m received ye Primitive and Apostolical 
order of Baptism by a total Immersion in water. Mr. Usher 98 of 
Bristol in y e month of- January 1724 or 1725 Baptized Mr. Car- 
penter of y* town. Mr. Piggot " of Providence in ye month of 
July 1726, Baptized Mr. Nathi Brown of Rehoboth his two 

w Two others were added afterwards to the number of prisoners. A list of their names 
is given by Backus in his History, I., 518. " For refusing to pay that year's tax to John 
Greenwood and David Turner, ministers of that town, twenty-eight Baptists, two Quakers, 
and two Episcopalians, were seized and imprisoned at Bristol, by Jonathan Bisworth and 
Jacob Ormsbee, constables of Rehoboth ; the main of them on March 3, 1729." "As no other 
way appeared of deliverance from a nauseous place which had injured their health, but 
paying said taxes and costs, this was soon after done by their friends." — Ibid. 

°8 This was the Rev. John Usher, the second rector of the Episcopal Church in Bristol 
(then under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts), succeeding Mr. Oreni about 1723. 

09 The Rev. George Piggot was sent by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in 
Foreign Parts as a missionary into New England ; he first went to Stratford, Conn., in 
1722 ; the following year to Providence, where he was settled over the newly formed Epis- 
copal church, the first in Providence, and the third in the Colony. Gathered during the 
reign of the First George, it was in his honor called King's Church ; in 1794, it received the 
name of St. John's Church.— Staple's Annals of Prov. 



THE DIARY OP JOHN COMER. 63 

daughters and two men more together. Mr. Mack-Sparrow 10 ° 
[McSparran] of Narrowgansit [Narragansett] Baptized Mr. 
Chase of N. port on Rhode Island, in ye month of November, 
1728. 

A man was found drowned at Capt. Mallbone's 
on " ' [Malbone's] wharf. 'Tis he was drowned ye Decem- 
ber before : for a man was y n misst from a vessel. 

This day Mr. Maxwell began to keep school. It 
' ' won't last long, I believe. 

This day I obtained this remarkable relation from 
pri13 ' Capt. Robert Gardner's own mouth, viz., A sloop 
bound from Newport on Rhode Island under y e command of 
Robert Gardner to y e Island of Antequa, who sailed thence on the 
25th of September 1 728, being in y e latitude of 23°. The night 
before y e wonderful salvation was wrought, w h is y e subject matter 
of this relation, ye course being set South and by West, but they 
who stood at [the] helm varied a point and steered South South- 
West, and tho they were faulted for this variation, yet God so 
ordered it in his Holy Providence yt they stood ye point, not- 
withstanding, w h had they stood according to order they could 
not have discovered ye wreck, which God seemed to direct y m to. 
And not only so but y e night before ye discovery ye Capt was 
waked out of sleep 5 or 6 times by an uncommon dream of seeing 
strong men yt were so broken yt he could scarce understand y m 
&c, which so affected him yt he got upon deck under great concern 
of mind not knowing w h it should mean. In y e morning about 
7 of y e clock, he resolved to inform ye mate and going forward to 
do so, he espied about a league distant something floating on ye 
water. Upon w h he ordered one to go to y e mast head ; upon 
[this] he discovered men to be on board holding up a sail to y m . 
This being on Wednesday, October ye 16th. Upon ye discovery 
whereof they made up to ye wreck and in about half an hour 
came up with her, and finding men on board, speedily got out y e 
boat and fetch' t y e distress't persons, being 6 in number; upon 
which they related their sad condition unto y m and by this in- 
formation they found the wreck to be a sloop belonging to New 

Joo xhe Rev. James McSparran, graduated at the University of Glasgow in 1709 ; came to 
this country in 1721 under the auspices of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in 
Foreign Parts, had for his field of labor the Narragansett Country, which embraced a very 
wide territory. He resided at South Kingstown, and ministered especially to St. Paul's 
Church, known sometimes as Tower Hill Church. In 1752, he wrote his tractate entitled 
America Dissected. He died December 1, 1757, "having been minister of St. Paul's (Tower 
Hill), in Narragansett, thirty-seven years."— Updike's Hist. Narr. Ch. 



64 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

Haven in Connecticut, named by Mr. Samuel Miles of yt place, 
who in September set out from thence bound to Antequa. Who 
upon ye morning of y e Lord's Day, Sept. 29th, just before y e day 
broke, being in ye same latitude in which they w r ere found (for ye 
vessel lay like a log on y e water) ye wind being then at East South 
East and East N. E. blowing excessive hard, and ye sails furl'd, 
scudding before it ; y e vessel ship't a sea which carried all upon 
deck over. We being 14 persons in all, 11 Whites and 3 Negroes, 
viz., Mr. Westbury, a passenger, his wife and two children, a son 
and a daughter, myself, 6 hands and 3 Negroes. At ye time of y e 
great seas breaking in there were 8 men upon deck w h were 
washed away. It broke y e mast midway and ye waist of y e vessel, 
and carried away y e quarter deck, and broke in y e bulk head of 
y e cabin. Mr. Miles, Mr. Westbury, his wife and two children 
and a Negro were in ye cabin, 6 in number, upon which we got 
[y m ] upon deck as soon as possible (save ye Negro) who was sup- 
posed to be there drowned, and immediately a 2 d sea came and 
carried away Mr. Westbury's wife, but ye other hold were pre- 
served (tho we were 4 in number) ; as soon as 'twas possible to 
recover sense after this sea, ye Master hearing a noise in ye water 
of some struggling (being just about day dawning), and finding 
'twas two men who held by ye main sheet, all possible help 
was got for y m and got y m on y e hull of y e vessel w th y m (there y n 
being 6 in number) and finding ye vessel's stern sinking, with 
great difficulty by y e help of y e boom tackle fall (?) they all got to 
y e head of y e vessel. Ye middle y n being 3 feet under water and 
y e head only' remaining about a foot out of water there they lay 
w th y e sea washing over y m . And God who is a God working 
wonders found out away for their preservation. Six sheep which 
were washt overboard swam to y m and were a means to support 
y m about one week. 

Note, y e storm after it had continued about 24 hours abated and 
the weather as God ordered it was calm till y e night after they 
were taken up ; which had yt been so great as y n to an eye of 
reason they had all perished. But with God all things are pos- 
sible. With Prise (?) they got two hogsheads of water and 
some come out of a hogshead, and by y e water being over y© 
middle part of ye vessel a dolphin swimming in and lodged in ye 
sail w h they had preserved, one of ye men catched it in his arms 
w h help't y m . And thus in this sad condition they remained 
often laying y m selves down being wholly without expectation of 
ever seeing land again or having any longer time or opportunity 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 65 

of showing forth God's praises. But unexpected deliverance came 
after they had lain 17 days in ye deepest distress by a remarkable 
overruling Providence. On Monday, October y e 21, 1728, and 
thro God's goodness they anchored safe in Antequa, and Mr. 
Sam 1 Miles and one more ye same day had an opportunity to [go] 
to N. York, and arrived there safe and had an opportunity to 
return to his house and show how great things y e Lord had done 
for him. 

This relation I received from Capt. Gardner this 3d of Ap. 
1729. 

This day came up y e case of y e money makers to 
trial (save Sam 1 Hallet who was at sea and D. 
Richards whose indictment had a flaw in it so yt it was referred 
to y e next Sept court). Hannah Hallet was cleared. N. Oatis 
and his wife found guilty ; he to pay 150 pounds and his wife 50, 
or be dipt. 

This day also a vagrant person was whipt at ye cart's tail thro 
y e town for stealing. 

This evening about 10 of y e clock in ye Northern 
board [sky] appeared an awful light much like yt, 
Oct. 3 d , 1728 ; one half towards ye West was very red and many 
flaming spears in it ; and yt part towards y e East was very pale 
and light, it had a slow motion towards y e East and continued 
some considerable time. 

Nicholas Oatis stood in ye pillory, 101 and had his ears 
" ' dipt for making money. His wife's relations paid 
her fine. This is y e 2d instance of this nature in ye Colony. 

(Mr. White first met in his new meeting house 
May3 ' in April 1725.) This day Mr. Maxwell left off 
keeping school. 

This day 3 years I was ordained to y e work of ye 
sacred ministry, the Lord grant me his grace to be 
faithful to souls, and help me to watch for souls as one y 4 must 
give an account, Heb. 13 : 17. Chrysostom says, I remember, yt 
that Scripture caused an earthquake within. him and produced 
holy trembling in his soul. O yt I may fear my remissness in ye 

101 An old law requires each town to furnish itself with a pair of stocks wherein to secure 
offenders. While the fathers of the Colony provided for the citizen the largest liberty con- 
sistent with the public safety, they at the same time held that offenders against the public 
weal forfeited their liberty, and they did not hesitate to deal with them in a severe and 
summary manner. The modes of punishment— the whipping post, the stocks, the pillory, 
the clipping — adopted in several Colonies, were those then in vogue in England. 



Lord's D., 25. 



66 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

care of precious souls and may be excited to greater watchfulness. 
Yet Lord I hope I can say, if I know my own heart, I desire to do 
good to souls. And now since my circumstances are altered upon 
ye commotion in my flock, and since I stand at this day in no 
pastoral relation to any particular flock of Christ, y e Lord fit and 
dispose me for an installment over any flock where in his holy 
Providence he may cast me, either here or elsewhere, and grant 
me ye conduct of his Spirit yt my ministry may be blessed for ye 
eternal benefit and salvation of many souls. 

This day Mr. Samuel Maxwell left my flock and 
went to Church [Episcopal]. Strange doings. 

The first week of this month Mr. James Updike, 
of Narraganset, going in a small boat alone a fishing, 
being gone two days, y e boat was y n found on y e backside of Con- 
nanicut and he in it dead. 'Tis supposed he fainted and so died, 
suddenly ; for he had rolled up his line, and everything on board 
seemed as tho he had done and was returning home. 

This day came on ye Yearly Association here, 102 it 
is supposed to be y e largest Convention yt ever hath 
been. There were present of ministers : 

Mr. James Clarke (in ye 80th year of his "j 

age )' I of Newport. 

Mr. Daniel Wightman, 

Mr. John Comer, J 

Mr. James Brown, 103 of Providence. 104 

102 This was the Yearly Meeting of the Six Principle Baptists, with whom Mr. Comer 
had identified himself. This Association must have held its annual meetings for several 
years ; Mr Comer speaks of it as something well known. Knight, in his History of the Six 
Principle Baptists, p. 322, states that these Yearly Meetings began " about the close of the 
sixteenth century," he evidently means seventeenth century. The churches were repre- 
sented in the Association by their elders and messengers. 

103 James Brown, son of John and Mary (Holmes) Brown, and grandson of the Rev. Chad 
Brown and of the Rev. Obadiah Holmes, was born in 1666, and married Mary Harris, grand- 
daughter of William Harris, one of the five original settlers of Providence. The time of 
his ordination to the gospel ministry has not been recorded, nor the extent of his term of 
pastoral service. His sister, Martha, married Joseph Jenks, Governor of the Colony from 
1727 until 1732. 

io* At the General Assembly held Tuesday, February 17, 1730-31, it was ordered, " for- 
asmuch as the outlands of the town of Providence are large and replenished -with inhab- 
itants sufficient to make and erect three townships besides the town of Providence, and 
the land lies convenient," that such division be made. — R. I. Col. Rec, IV., 443. The three 
towns thus created out of the "outlands " were Smithfield, Scituate, and Gloucester. The 
four churches in Providence mentioned in the text fell by the partition into different 
townships; one church being in Providence, whose minister was James Brown; two in 
Smithfield, the minister of the one Jonathan Sprague, and of the other Peter Place; the 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 67 



Mr. Jonathan Sprague 105 (in ye 82 year of his age), of Provi- 
dence. 
Mr. Nicholas Eyres, 106 of New York. 107 

fourth church in Scituate, under the ministry of Samuel Fisk. Judge Staples, Annals of 
Piov., 419, has fallen into a slight inaccuracy, in speaking of " one [church] in that part [of 
Providence] subsequently called Smithfield," inasmuch as there were two. 

106 Jonathan Sprague, son of William Sprague, of Hingham, was born in 1648.— Savage, 
Geneal. Diet. He lived in Weymouth, and fell under the censure of the General Court of 
Massachusetts, the sentence of court being passed against him in Boston, April 28, 1674; he 
then removed to Providence.— Ibid. If, as is probable, he can be identified with the Jonathan 
Sprague mentioned in the Rhode Island Colonial Records, he bee. me somewhat prominent 
in the town of his adoption. He was admitted a freeman of tha Colony of Rhode Island, 
May 3, 1681 ; served on a committee to adjust taxes in 1692; was deputy for Providence in 
1699, 1700, 1703, 1706-1710, 1714; was in 1703 Speaker of the House, and member of the 
auditing committee. 

Mr. Sprague was also a Baptist minister, and served as pastor of a church in Providence. 
He was a man of vigorous intellect, and wielded a trenchant pen. That he did not forget 
the treatment he had received in Massachusetts is made evident by a letter of his, dated 
February 23, 1722. This letter is given in full by Staples, Annals oJProv., p. 434. Three Con- 
gregational ministers wrote to the authorities of Providence asking " whether the preach- 
ing of our ministers in Providence might not be acceptable" ; and suggested •' that a small 
meeting house should be built in your town to entertain such as are willing to hear our 
ministers." To this letter Mr. Sprague, in behalf of " the inhabitants of tbe town of Prov- 
idence," made reply. An anonymous answer was printed at Boston, under date September 
7, 1722, containing the action of the Court against Sprague. Mr. Sprague made rejoinder 
January 24, 1723, stating that one of the witnesses against him " in that case at i Boston, 
was afterward brought to repentance and joined the Baptist Church he belonged to in 
Providence."— Backus, Hist., II., 9, 10. Mr. Sprague died in Smithfield in January, 1741, 
aged ninety-three years. 

it* Nicholas Eyres was born in Wiltshire, England, August 22, 1691 ; came to this country 
and settled in New York about 1711 ; the following year invited the Rev. Valentine 
Wightman to visit him and preach in his house ; as a result of the preaching Mr. 
Eyres and a number of others were converted and baptized, and formed " a Gen- 
eral or Arminian Church," and in 1728 built a house of worship on Golden Hill (Gold 
Streel). In October, 1731, Mr. Eyres removed to Newport and became co-pastor with the 
Rev. Daniel Wightman, of the Second Church. After tbe death of the latter, he became 
chief pastor with Rev. Gardner Thurston as assistant, by whom, at his death, February 
13, 1759, he was succeeded in the pastorship. Morgan Edwards says, Mr. Eyres " left 
behind him heaps of manuscripts, some polemical, some doctrinal, some political, for 
which he was every way qualified." 

iw A brief notice of this " Arminian Baptist Church " is given by Morgan Edwards ; also 
by William Parkinson, in his Jubilee Discourse. When. Mr. Eyres left the church it had 
already become " much broken " ; " some of them," said Mr. Eyres, in speaking of the 
church, " deserted under a pretence of love to the principles of absolute election and pre- 
destination."— Backus, II., 29. The church soon after dissolved. The way was being pre- 
pared for another organization. About the year 1745, some who had been members of this 
church, together with others, formed themselves into a Calvinistie Baptist Church, since 
known as the First Baptist Church in New York City. 

Long before these labors of Mr. Eyres, the place had been visited by two stalwart Baptists 
from Newport, Obadiah Holmes and Samuel Hubbard, possibly on a missionary tour. 
Hubbard says, " Brother Obadiah Holmes and I went to the Dutch and Gravesend, and to 
Jamaica, and to Flushing, and to Hamsted, and to Cowbay, 1st October ; came home loth 
November, 1657." 



68 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

Mr. Valentine Wightman, of Groton. 108 

Mr. Philip Tabor, 109 of Dartmouth. 110 

Mr. Stephen Gorton, of New London. 11 * 

Mr. Daniel Everett, 11 ' 2 of South Kingston. 113 

Met this morning at Mr. Wightman's house, 32 

Mond., 23. p ersons m gj^ v j z> g ministers, 3 deacons, 21 brethren. 

There are of churches in communion 13 distinct bodies. In 
Providence, besides those above mentioned there are two under 
ye care of Mr. Peter Place 1U [and] Mr. Samuel Fisk. 115 In ye 

108 xhis was the first church of this order in Connecticut, gathered about 1705. The two 
Wightmans, father and son, filled the pulpit of this church for a period of more than 
eighty years. This church gave name to the Association known as The Groton Confer- 
ence, formed at a much later date.— Backus, Hist., II., 414, 510, 516. 

109 Elder Philip Tabor was with others imprisoned May 25, 1723, " in the common jail at 
New Bristol," where he remained for thirteen months, for refusing to pay the tax assessed 
by the town for the support of the minister of the " standing order." A petition in behalf 
of the prisoners, drawn possibly by Mr. Tabor, was presented to King George, and an order 
was granted for their release.— Backus, Hist., I., 500. Mr. Tabor died November, 1752. 

110 The genesis of the Dartmouth Church was as follows : " John Cooke, whose name we 
meet with on the first and on nearly every page of the early records of the town, as a deputy 
and a selectman, filling various offices of trust and honor, was a Baptist minister for many 
years."— Old Dartmouth Centennial, p. 86. Mr. Cooke had been connected with the church 
in Plymouth, but embracing Baptist views had become a member of the First Church in 
Newport. He labored as a preacher " in Dartmouth many years, from which labors," says 
Backus, Abridgement, p. 135, " sprung the Baptist Church, in the east borders of Tiverton." 
Of this church in Tiverton, Benedict says, Hisi.,1., 503, that it " was formed in the adjoining 
town of Dartmouth about 1685 ; the members at first lived in Dartmouth, Tiverton, and 
Little Compton." Mr. Tabor was the third pastor of the church. Having removed its " seat 
from Dartmouth to Tiverton," says Benedict, "it continues to the present day," and has 
since been known, says the editor of Backus, " as the First Baptist Church in Tiverton, 
R. I." 

in This church at New Loudon, the second of its order in Connecticut, was formed 
November 28, 1726 ; but after a few years it was " dissolved." 

112 Elder Daniel Everett continued to serve the church until his death " soon after 1750." 

us This church existed " as earl? as the year 1725." S. F. Hancock, in a Historical Sketch 
of the First Baptist Church of South Kingstown ( Wakefield), says: " Knight, in a statement of 
doubtful accuracy, places its origin in 16S0 (Knight's Hist., pp. 278, 319). Benedict follows 
Knight. Other indications point to a date later than 1710." About the year 1750, " Elder 
David Sprague, from North Kingstown, who had changed from 'general redemption' to 
' particular,' disseminated the latter views in the church. Divisions ensued, and the church 
finally became extinct. Isaac Backus,'writing in 1784, says that it had then ' long been dis- 
solved.' "—Ibid. See also Centenary of the First Baptist Church in South Kingstown (1881), a 
pamphlet of 91 pp. 

i« Peter Place, of Providence, perhaps son of Peter, of Boston, swore allegiance to Charles 
II. in May, 1682.— Savage, Geneal. Diet. Knight is certainly in error when, having;spoken 
of the death of Jonathan Sprague, he says: " Elder Peter Place succeeded him, and perhaps 
was his colleague."— Hist., p. 267. He evidently confounds two distinct churches, both in 
Providence, and at the time of the division, both were set off with that part called 
Smithfield. 

us Knight, Hut., p. 270, says, Mr. Fiske was ordained in August, '1727, and died about 1744. 
This church, at the time of the division of Providence, fell into the new town called 
Scituate. 



THE DTARY OF JOHN COMER. 69 



town of Swanzey one under ye care of Mr. Joseph Mason. 116 In 
ye town of Warwick one under ye care of Mr. Manassah 
Martin. 117 In North Kingston one under ye care of Mr. Richard 
Sweet. 118 >Tis supposed there were 250 communicants and 1000 
auditors. Each of these held ye Doctrine of Geni Redemption. 119 

There are 3 other churches yt hold ye Doctrine of Free Grace. 120 
One at Newport under ye care of Mr. William Peckcom, formerly 
my flock. One at Swanzey under ye care of Mr. Ephraim Whea- 
ton. One at Boston under ye care of Mr. Elisha Callender. 

There are two churches in ye observation of ye 7th day. 121 One 

»6 This church "was formed upon different principles from the first, and they held the 
laying on of hands upon every member as a term of communion, and did not sing in their 
public worship," says Backus, naming some of the distinguishing characteristics of the Six 
Principle Baptist churches. -Hist., II., 434. Preaching commenced in 1680, was continued 
until a church was formed. " Thomas Barnes was ordained their pastor in 1693 » and the 
relation was continued until his death, June 8, 1706. His successor, Joseph Mason, brother 
of Samson Mason, a soldier in Cromwell's arm v, was ordained pastor " in July 1709 and 
continued so till he died, May 19, 1748," at the age of almost ninety years.-W 

"' This church was formed "and Mr. Manasseh Martin was their minister before 1730 " 
-Backus, Hist, II., 511. It was probably formed not long before this Yearly Meeting 
John Hammett was an assistant pastor from 1744 until his death in 1752,-Knight, Hisi 
2,4. Mr. Martin died March 20, 1754.-/6^, 275. The earliest records of this church that 
nave been preserved commence in 1741. 
"a The earliest records of this church reach back to 1710 Th P «*„™t. % 

Sprague was ordained a colleague with him about 1739. 

11 9 This term, "general redemption," is liable to hp\,,,v„r,/i i j .* ■, 
" universal salvation "but "unlimited atonement "it nnsunderstond ; »* *>«> not mean 
that system of doctrine known aT" Arminianism > ^^^f^jei to represent 
churches in New England known as "sTx Pri n "1 B L ™ %£*S? F?." ^ 
was of the so-called New England type which DrPnrW? • Y^ J """ Arm,nianism 
Sem., by Edwards A. P»rk) consider?PeTa B Kn^r S^ P i*™™ **?* ° f And(mr I%eoL 
considered as within the limit oh term P ™~r f* rf ?.' ° r ° f that tjpe commo «^ 
does not come within the Ipe o Z* p£ ent SS V ^ th *^™ later . 
say that these churches about the tim ^Corner wl l,Ct h , k" """V- °? E^ t0 

thesechurches were strong^affeSd -Backus H^T^M^ 55? °* the MT *>" 
and others became CalvinLL in ^t^^^ ^^^7^^ 
least as a necessary prerequisite to the communion S S ' at 

See «!,» „„.e 54. The Sabba.arian church- were c'vfufeMc iu aocM.e ' ' ' 



7U THE DIAEY OF JOHN COMEE. 

at Westerly under y e care of Mr. Joseph Maxson. 122 One at New- 
port under ye care of Mr. Joseph Crandal. 123 

In all of Baptist churches in New England, there are 18 in 
number. 123 * 

122 Westerly was first settled by colonists from Newport, some of whom were members of 
the First Church. " Hopkinton was once the north part of Westerly, where some of Mr. 
Clarke's church lived, before the separation on account of the Sabbath took place in 1671. 
Mr. John Craudall was one of them, who was imprisoned with Clarke and Holmes at 
Boston, in 1651."— Backus, Hist., II., 506. At the time of the division in the church, the 
brethren at Westerly embraced the views of the Sabbatarians. In 1703, these brethren 
formed themselves into a church there. Frederic Denison, in his Westerly and its Wit- 
nesses, p. 60, says: " The organization was formed when the town numbered but 580 inhab- 
itants, in 1708, under Rev. John Maxon, Sen., as pastor, and is still existing as the First 
Hopkinton Seventh Day Baptist Church. Their first meeting house is believed to have 
been built ' about the year 1680,' and was located on a lot given for that purpose by Peter 
Crandall." The first pastor was succeeded by his son, John Maxon, Jr. ; the latter was 
succeeded by Joseph Maxon, " son of the first and brother of the second pastor." He was 
born in 1672, ordained in 1732 ; on the death of his brother in 1742 he succeeded to the pas- 
toral office, " though seventy-five years old " ; he died in September, 1750. 

123 This church, which was formed in 1671, had for its first pastor William Hiscox, until 
he died, May 24, 1704, aged ninety-six, when he was succeeded by William Gibson, from 
London, who was pastor until he died, March 12, 1717, aged seventy-nine. Joseph Cran- 
dall, who had been his colleague for two years, was chosen his successor, and remained in 
office until his death, September 13, 1737. Backus, Hist., II., 502. Benedict confounds this 
Joseph Crandall with John Crandall who was fined in Lynn in 1651. — History, II., 419. 

123 M [In examining Dr. Barrows' papers I found the following extracts copied from the 
Becords of the Second Church, Newport, which may be a matter of interest as embracing 
historical facts concerning that church and also concerning an Association which I suppose 
was composed of " Six Principle Churches "—which churches appear to have had " general 
meetings " at an early date. See Note 102.— J. W. W.] 

I. Extract concerning the Secmd Church, Newport. 

" Ch meetings first held Dec. 31, 1726, for attending to business of the ch. An ace' of the 
time when members were admitted into the ch for y« year 1716 taken from brother Timothy 
Peckhom's note book by reason of there being then no stated record kept by y<> voice of the 
ch, transcribed this 8 th day of March, 1729— here is an ace' of y° receipt of members 10 
years before y° ch app d a Record." 

171C, Dec. 10. William Clagget. 
Jan. 4. Elizabeth Barker. 

She removed ab' a year later to the other Baptist ch. [Comer's writing.] 

" The land on which y° meeting house now standeth made over to y<> church by Mr. 
James Clarke, pastor, who obtained y« deed thereof in his own name October y* 23*, 1697, 
in which year the first meeting house was built." [Jno. Comer.] 

" To all Christian people to whom this present instrument may come I James Clarke of 
Newport on Rhode Island in y« Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations &c. 
sendeth greeting. 

"Know y y' whereas I s d James Clarke did buy or purchase a certain piece of land 
lying and being in y« town of Newport afores d containing 30 foot from North to South and 
from East to West and is bounded Easterly on a highway Northerly and Westerly, on 
Nathi Coddington's land, Southerly by a piece of land left out for a highway, all which lot 
or land was bought by me s d Clarke of Major Nathi Coddington together with all y<> rights 
and privileges thereunto belonging as is set forth more at large and will more fully appear 
by y e deed thereof bearing date October 23, 1697. 

"Also another piece of land containing 30 foot in length and 40 foot in width and part of 



THE DIAKY OF JOHN COMER. 71 

This day Mr. John Adams and I waited on Dean 
July i4. G eor g e Berkeley at his house. Kindly treated. 

s d purchase is a certain gore containing 8 foot in breadth and is butted and bounded 
Northerly on s d Coddington's land, Easterly on highway and land already in possession 
of s d Clarke and Westerly on land of s d Clarke's and Southerly on a way, as may more 
fully appear by a deed dated Mar. y e 23, 1703 or 1704. 

" Know y 8 y» I James Clarke do hereby declare and publish y« y° money y' did purchase 
both pieces of land was contribution money given by certain brethren hereafter named to 
build a meeting house on, for the worship and service of God, and for the accommodation of 
y« same. (Jeremiah Clarke, Dan' Wightman, John Odlin, John Greenman, James Brown, 
John Hammet, Jeremiah Weeden, Joseph Card, James Barker, William Rhoos, Stephen 
Hodley, Timothy Peckhom.Peleg Peckhom, Dan 1 Sabear, Joseph Weeden, William Green- 
man, Henry Clarke, John Rhodes.) 

"In witness I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 23 d day of Jan'y 1706 or 1707. 

James Clarke. 
i John Osband, 

" Witnesses : ^ Elizabeth Williams. 

" Personally appeared before me this 6 th day of February 1706 or 1707 James Clarke y« 
subscriber hereof and did own and acknowledge y e above writtten instrument to be his 
act and deed. Attested, John Rogers, Justice of peace." 

IT. Concerning the General Meetings and Association. 

" We the Elders and Messengers of several Baptist Churches met at Providence on the 22* 
23* and 24»> days of June 1764 have agreed to drop the General Meetings at Providence and 
Swanzey, and to set up an annual association of the Baptist Churches in Rhode Island 
Providence Plantation and the adjacent parts in manner following: 

" 1. The Association to be held annually on the 3 d Thursday in May at the town of Provi- 
dence. 

" 2. Every church to depute three brethren to represent them at the association under the 
names of messengers whereof one shall be an elder, these messengers to be chosen by the 
church, or the major part thereof at a meeting properly convened for that purpose. 

" 3. Each church shall prepare a letter addressed to the association wherein the names of 
the messengers shall be mentioned, the state of the church shown with reference to the 
number of members at the time, the number added that year, the number dead, and the 
number excluded, and if the church should labour under any difficulty, so as to want the 
advice, opinion, or help of sister churches, that the difficulty or case be fairly stated in 
their letter; Provided always yt no matter be referred to the association which may be 
settled by the church itself. 

"4. The association to be formed and conducted in the following manner- (1) To begin 
with public service at two o'clock on the day above said, the person to preach the associa- 
tion^ sermon (and in case of his failure another) to be nominated at each association so 
that he or they may have notice a year beforehand. (2) A moderator and clerk to be 
chosen before any business to be entered upon. The office of the moderator will be to 
direct and maintain decorum. The office of clerk to enter the names of the messengers, 
make minutes of the transactions of the association, and keep the association book. (3) 
The association shall draw up a letter directed to the several churches whom they repre- 
sent, and a copy thereof shall be sent to each church, wherein everything shall be specified 
which concerns the churches to know in a way of information or advice. 

" Signed in the name and behalf of the general meeting at Providence, June 24"", 1764, by 

C Job Mason. 

The Elders ■ \ Gardner Thurston. 
) Charles Holden. 
V, Reuben Hopkins. 
"At the association held at Providence May 16, 1765, ordered that the association for the 
future be holden on the first Thursday in June." 



72 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

This day Mr. Joseph O'Hara, 123 ^ ye Church 

priest, at Providence, was conveyed to jail here for 

his breaking open y e door of y e church, w h his people had fastened 

up after they had hauled him out of his pulpit on ye 9th instant 

for his irregularities. 

This day a meeting house was raised for Mr. Clap's 
congregation. 124 Also this day I gave Madam I. 
Cranston a note for twenty pounds I had of her. 

I went to Providence ; accompanied my mother as 

Tuesd., 22. f ar as Rehoboth. Lodged at Justice P. Tillinghast's. 

Thirsd, 24. I went up into ye woods to see Mr. Jonathan 

pryd 25 Sprague, 15 miles; preached in ye woods at Mr. 

Sprague's meeting house, 125 from 1 Tim. 1 : 14. A 

considerable auditory. 

saturd., 26. Returned to town. 

This morning Mr. Cotton sent a note to invite me 
Lord sd., 27. ^ preach for him in ye forenoon; but I could not 
gratifie him. Preached at Providence in Elder Brown's congre- 
gation. This morning I received a letter from Mr. O'Hara and 
his commission signed by Edward Gibson (formerly Bishop of 
Chichester, translated thence to y e See of London, now in ye 7th 
year of his translation), dated at Whitehall July y e 1st, 1728. 

The land to build y e church on was given by Mr. Nath 1 Brown 
of Rehoboth, ye deed bears date, Sept. 18, 1722 ; ye church was 
built 1724. 126 

The Baptist, Presbyterian, and Quakers there, about ye same 
time built. 

This evening was an awful and total eclipse of ye 

Mond., 28. 

moon. 
I returned from Providence, got home y* night 
Tuesd., 29. we n > Blessed be y e Lord. This day a young man 
was drowned near Castle Hill. 127 

This day I am arrived to y e 25* year of my age. 
AuguaTi. O y* I may have understanding to improve my time 
to God's glory. I this day heard Mr. Adams from 
Ps. 26 : 6. Make yt my resolution. 

123^ This unworthy man is called Cbarro by both Staples and Updike. They both 
mention that he was dismissed from his charge for highly improper conduct. 
1M This house was built on Mill St. See Note 77. 

125 What Mr. Comer here calls " the woods," the General Assembly in dividing Provi- 
dence describes as " the outlands of the town." See Note 105. Knight says this meeting 
house stood " about one mile north of the Smithfield Academy." 

126 (Wanting.) ™ (Wanting.) 



THE DIARY OP JOHN COMER. 73 

This day Elder Peckcom administered y e sacrament 
Lord s ., . o j. y e LQj-jjjg s U pp er to my former flock, ye first time 

since last October. 

This day Mr. O'Hara visited me and gave me a 

Fryday, s. CO ppj e f y e result of a Justice's Court concerning 
him. Here follows y e Coppie : At a Court of Justices held at Provi- 
dence for his Majesty this 2 d day of August, 1729, present, Richard 
Waterman, Assistant, Ezekiel Warner, James Dexter, Justices 
of y e Peace ; to make some inquiry into a complaint y l was laid 
before us by the Rev d Mr. Joseph O'Hara concerning the abuse 
that was done him in the church, in s d Providence, on ye 9 th day 
of July last past, and how the church doors are fastened against 
him ; and he producing before us a Commission from under ye 
hand and seal of y e Honorable y e Bishop of London to execute 
ye office of a minister in Providence during his pleasure. Where- 
upon our opinion is yt if his complaint be proved by evidence as 
he hath laid it before us, it was barbarous usage ; and the church 
doors being fastened against him is illegal and contrary to his 
Majestie's interest. Whereupon this matter is referred to ye 
Court's next sitting for a further inquiry and hearing. 

Heard Mr. Hiscox from Ecc. 12 : 1. He instanced 
yt ye time of youth was y e best time — (1) For good 
impressions ; (2) for strongest resolutions ; (3) for fixed affections ; 
(4) for closest applications ; (5) for diligent observations. He 
added further yt not to remember God in youth was — (1) To slight 
his invitations ; (2) disregard his legislations ; (3) disbelieve his 
imprecations; (4) to reject his opperations. He finely run thro y e 
chapter tho very briefly to my great satisfaction. 

Preached all day, Mr. Wightman [being] at Nar- 
" ' raganset. Mr. Hix's son's funeral bid to. Blessed 
be y e name of ye Lord for strength afforded. 

Mond., ii. Visited sundry of my hearers. 

Tuesd., i2. Began to transcribe Mr. Pardon Tillinghast's 12S 

158 Pardon Tillingbast was born in England in 1622; came to this country in 1645, 
settling it is said in Connecticut ; but the following year he took up his residence 
in Providence, for his name appears among purchasers of land in 1640. Annals of 
Prov.,61. He married Lydia, probably a daughter of Philip Tabor, of Tiverton, Savage, 
Geneal. Did., and was mentioned in 1672 as " a leading man among the people called 
Baptists, at Providence." — Geo. Fox, Pub. Narr. Club, V. 320. At what time he became 
pastor in Provfdence is not known, but " it was during his ministry, and after the church 
had lived without one for more than sixty years, that we first hear of a meeting house 
which was built at his expense, and given by him to the church in a deed dated in 1711." 
—Caldwell, History of First Baptist Church, 9; In the deed. " he describes the faith and 
order of the church to be the same as that now held by the Six Principle Baptists." 



74 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

judgment in ye Revelation. He was pastor of y e Baptist church 
in Providence ; 129 1 had it of Elder Brown. 

Having been moved heretofore to speak in publick of these 
things which are mysterious, which none but they to whom it is 
given can understand w l y e Spirit saith unto y e churches : 

1. The opening of ye first seal, showeth by ye going forth of y e 
white horse y e powerful conquest made by ye glorious gospel of 
Christ in ye days of X [Christ] and his apostles, ye weapons of 
their warfare not being carnal, but mighty thro Cod to y e pulling 
down of strongholds to y e obedience of Christ, this victory and 
ye effects of it were famous for 2 or 300 years after X [Christ]. 

2. Ye 2 d seal by ye coming forth of y e red horse, showeth ye 
bloody wars that arose in ye earth and chiefly at Jerusalem, ye 
next generation following and y e dreadful persecution of y e saints 
foretold by X [Christ] Matt. 24, and also to his faithful church of 
Smyrna in chap. 2, ye shall have tribulation 10 days, meaning 
10 reigns of cruelty. 

3. Y e 3 d showeth by ye black horse and his rider w th y e balance 
in his hand, y e coming forth of grievous wolves foretold of, y t 
would make merchandize of y e word, seeking their gain from 
their [every] quarter and greedy of filthy [lucre], contrary to X 
[Christ] and his apostles' commands and examples, then begun 
and still continued by pretended ministers even to this day and 
darkness of these times. 

4. Ye opening of y e fourth seal under ye pale horse and his 
rider, w h was death and hell following, showing the dead and 
woful condition ye professors of y e gospel were t now come into, as 
ye word mentioned chapt. 16, the 2 d angel poured out his veyal 
[vial] on y e sea, and it became as y e blood of a dead man, and 
every living soul died in ye sea, the bottomless pit now being 
begun to be opened and ye smoke darkening ye sun and air. 

— Annals of Prov., 414. Although Mr. Tillinghast received no pecuniary compensation for 
his services as pastor of the church, he maintained his right to receive such compensation. 
Governor Joseph Jenks, writing from Newport, under date March 19, 1730, says: "I 
believe there are several of my brethren who can remember that Elder Tillinghast (in 
his lifetime), who was a man exemplary for his doctrine, as well as of an unblemished 
character, did several times in his teaching declare that it was the duty of a church to 
contribute towards the maintenance of their elders, who labored in the word and doctrine 
of Christ; and although for his own part he would take nothing, yet it remained the 
church's duty to be performed to such as might succeed him." — Backus, Hist., II., 25. Mr. 
Tillinghast died January 29, 1718, at the age of ninety-six years. See letter of Moses 
Brown, on " The Descendants of Pardon Tillinghast," in Newport Hist. Mag., Vol. til., pp. 
156-162. 
129 (Wanting.) %f X. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 75 



5. Ye 5th seal showeth ye bloody work of ye scarlet coloured 
beast and of the whore of Babylon yt was drunken w"» ye blood 
of ye saints and martyrs of X [Christ], whose blood cryeth for 
vengeance agt their abomination of desolation. 

6. Ye 6th S eal showeth ye ruin and desolation of ye churches' 
enemies after their iniquity is come to ye full, their sun in wh 
they so gloried, should be black like sackcloth of hair, and their 
moon, stars, and all ye host of their heaven, their greater and 
lesser lights, shall flee as a scroll, by reason of ye earthquakes and 
shaking yt shall fall upon yt wicked state, and all ye supporters 
thereof: when ye Lord shall arise to shake terribly ye earth, Isa. 2, 
and this concurs w*h ye pouring out ye vials of wrath. Chapt W 

7. The opening of ye ?th seal, showeth ye saints ye rest promised 
after their long and great sufferings of tribulation, according to 
yt [word] of St. Paul to ye Thessalonians, [tribulation] to ym yt 
trouble you, and to you who are troubled rest with us ; when ye 
Lord shall be revealed from heaven with his mightyangels in flam- 
ing fire. There is silence in heaven. Rest and quietness after so 
many exercises. Then is ye Lamb's book of life opened. Rev. 6. 

Thirsd i4 Transcribed out of Mr. Clarke's Narrative. 130 Mr. 
John Clarke, 131 Mr. Obadiah Holmes, 132 and Mr. John 

» i Of this work printed in London, "by Henry Hills, living in Fleet Yard, next door 
to the Rose and Crown, in the year 1652," only one or two copies are extant. It has been 
once repub hshed, and may be found among the collections of the Massachusetts Historical 
Society, with this prefatory note: '< The manuscript from which the following reprint is 
made was transcribed from a copy of this rare tract in the exceedingly valuable collection 
of works on America, belonging to John Carter Brown, Esq., of Providence, R. I. • which 

z7Jz^: 7 ^rai:z societ7hythe owner forthe **--*"k**»-» 

m John Clarke was born in Suffolk, England, October 8, 1609 ; was educated at one of the 

Sffi mT t , 1M *. emigrSted t0 thlS C ° lmtry ln 1G37 ; WaS the Ieader of the colo » is <s that 
settled Rhode Island; was imprisoned and fined in Massachusetts, in 1651. It is to this 
visit that reference is made in the text. Mr. Palfrey, in his "History of New England » 

Wmi*J » 2? m ° tlV t e '£ the ViSit - Dr " H - M - DeXt6r ' in MS monograph, - As to Roger 
22^ For reply, , ce pamphlet, of 49 pages, entitled, " Early Baptfsts 
Defended, by H. M. King, D. D. ; also an article in Baptist Quarterly, Vol. X., pp 353 sea 
reviewing Dr. Dexter's book. Besides being almost constantly emploved in the public ser- 
vice to guide the infant commonwealth in the midst of its manifold d fficulties Mr 
Clarke was a preacher of the gospel, and was so engaged from the very first year o'f the 
settlement of the colony even until his death, during this long period serving the First 
Church as its faithful and devoted pastor. See further, Note 152. 

"» Obadiah Holmes was born in Preston, Lancashire, England, about 1606; came to this 
country about 1639, settling in Salem, Mass. ; six years afterward he removed to Rchoboth • 
thence in 1650 or 1651 to Newport, R. I. ■ was imprisoned, fined, and whipped in Massal 
chusetts, in 1651 ; he was pastor of the First Church from 1652 until he died, October 15, 
1682; was buried upon his own farm in Middletown, the spot being marked by a simple 
slab.— Cathcart, Bap. Ency. ; Sprague's Annals. 



7G - THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

Crandal, 133 were taken up by y e Justice of Lin [Lynn], Mr. Robert 
Bridges, there on ye Lord's day, July 20, 1651, and committed to 
Boston jail for being Baptists, and on ye 31 of July had the sen- 
tence of Court passed on y m , ye 1 st to pay £20 or be whipt, ye 2 d 
£30 or be whipt, ye 3 d £5 or be whipt. None suffered but Mr. 
Holmes, and y* in a terrible manner to y e extent of ye law. Mr. 
John Wilson, 134 a Presbyterian minister, struck Mr. Holmes 
when he went from ye bar and said, The curse of God go witti 
thee. He died Oct. 15«S 1682. 

The first free school in N. England was in Charlestown, founded 
in 1635. 185 

133 John Crandall, the third of the trio, who went to Lynn in 1651, and suffered imprison- 
ment, was an elder in the First Church, and died about 1676. He was spoken of by 
Samuel Hubbard, in a letter to the Rev. Edward Stennett, in England, as " my dear 
brother John Crandal." 

1M John Wilson was born at Winsor, England, in the year 15SS ; came to this country 
in 1630, in company with John Winthrop, and became "teaching elder" of what was after- 
wards known as the First Church in Boston ; in 1632, he was chosen pastor, and the Rev. 
John Cotton the following year became his colleague as teacher, this relationship continu- 
ing until the death of the latter in 1652, when in 1656 the Rev. John Norton became 
teacher. Mr. Wilson was again left alone by the death of Mr. Norton, in 1663, and so con- 
tinued until his own death, August 7,1667. He was the leader among the opponents ol 
the Antinomians in 1G37 ; his colleague Mr. Cotton inclined to the other side of the 
question then disturbing the good people of Boston. — Sprague's Annals. 

135 The honor of having established the first free school in New England has been 
claimed for Newport. On the 20th of August, 1640, the town of Newport voted to call Mr. 
Lenthall "to keep a public school for the learning of youth, and for his encouragement 
there was granted to him and his heirs one hundred acres of land, and four more for a 
house lot"; it was also voted "that one hundred acres should be laid forth, and appropri- 
ated for a school, for encouragement of the poorer sort, to train up their youth in learning, 
and Mr. Robert Lenthall, while he continues to teach school, is to have the benefit thereof." 
— Callender, Hist. Disc, 116. " This," says the Hon. William P. Sheffield, in the Providence 
Journal, 1877, " was the first public school, and Robert Lenthall was the first master of a 
public school in America." " Although Harvard College was founded in 1638, to provide 
a learned ministry for the churches, public schools, controlled and maintained by the 
government for the public good, were not attempted by the Massachusetts Colony until 
1617, Mass. Col. Rec., II., 203, nor by the Plymouth Colony until 1672, Ply. Col. Rec, V., 
107. See also Baylies' Memoirs of Ply. Col., pt. II, 93. Yet Governor Bradford early con- 
ceived the idea of giving instruction to the young of his Colony, but encountered insuper- 
able difficulties." — Hist. Ply. Plantation ; 4 Mass. Hist. Coll., III., 161 ; cf. Bacon's Genesis of 
the N. E. Chh., p. 397 ; Barrows' Devel. Bap. Print: in R. I., p. ; 89 cf. Arnold, Hist., I., 145. 
Schools earlier than 1647 had existed in Massachusetts; but they were either connected 
with the church as parochial schools or maintained by private subscriptions, whose 
advantages however were offered to the public probably gratuitously, and in this sense 
only " free "—Mem. Hist. Bost., I., 123 ; Mass. Col. Rec, II , 6, 9. Thomas Leverett, elder of 
the First Church, Boston, wrote April 13, 1635 : '■ Likewise it was then generally agreed 
upon that our brother Philemon Pormost shall be entreated to become schoolmaster for the 
teaching and nourtering of children with us." — Mem. Hist. Bost.. I., 123. Mr. Charles K. 
Dillaway adds: "This being the only public school for about half a century, it is reason- 
able to infer that the elementary as well as the higher branches were taught. Its princi- 
pal object, however, from its establishment to the present time has been to prepare young 



THE DIARY OP JOHN COMER. 77 



This day was rainy, I preached, Mr. Wightman [being] absent. 
Visited Mrs. Tillinghast being as 'twas conceived 
Fryd., i . near ^ e p 0m f. f d ea th, but God raised her, and dis- 
played his glorious power. This night, Mr. Joseph Park, my 
ancient acquaintance lodged at my house. 

Preached in my course, Mrs. Shrief propounded 
Lord's d., 17. ^ Qr j$ a pti sm> ]\{ rs< Hunt sent for me being sick. 

Prayed with her. 
Mond., is. Prayed with Mr. James Grinman [Greenman]. 
Thirsd., 2i. Mrs. Elizta Shrief Baptized. Exceeding windy 
weather. 
The Quakers' addition to their meeting house 136 
ry " 22 ' raised. My family ill. 

Mr. Shrief propounded for Baptism. Mr. Clag- 
" ' gett's child's funeral bid to. 

Prayed with Benjamin Hambey. Very sick. Note 
" ' from ye life of Mr. Thomas Hooker. He used to say 
that ye promises of God were as boats to carry perishing sinners 
over to y e Lord Jesus Christ. 

Heard Mr. Maxwell intended not to preach any 
_ ° n " , more. This day Mary Ailsworth died. She was 

Septem. 1 " " 

sprinkled 4 or 5 days before. W* Mr. Maxwell said 
to her encouraged her in it, for she was otherwise inclined. 

The fort 137 here began to be rebuilt in y e year 1724, and was 
finished in ye year 1729. 

This day at evening I prayed w th sister Hannah 
Wilson, whose husband, Mr. Jonathan Wilson, died 
about 4 of y e clock. 

men for college." Ibid, IV., 237. It is perhaps needless further to add that Mr. Dillaway 
refers in his words to the justly famous Boston Latin School. 

136 (Wanting.) 

w King's Fort was inadequate to defend the harbor. Queen Ann's Fort was built 1702 on 
Goat Island, on the site of Fort Woolcot. (Arnold, II., 5.) Tax laid 1706 to finish Fort 
Ann, war having begun. Peace came in 1714 and its garrison was discharged. 1721 
Fort Ann was repaired, a loan was made for that purpose. (Ibid, II., 25, 54, 69.) In 
1727, an address to King George stated" that a regular and beautiful fortification of stone, 
with a battery had been built at Newport." (Ibid, 93.) In 1733, Fort George was armed. 
(Ibid, passim.) Callender, in his Historical Discourse, says: "The necessary defense of 
the inhabitants was never neglected in time of war, and since the peace, the colony, 
tho' so small as it is, hath rebuilt an handsome fort on an island that commands 
the harbor of Newport, and in 1733 furnished it with a number of fine guns at 
their own expense." In 1775, Fort George was abandoned — a signal established at Tower 
Hill ; a signal for Tonomy Hill, 1776. In 1776, a new fort was built at the Point in New- 
port, another on Brenton's Point, and Fort George reconstructed. In 1784, the lort on 
Goat Island, after bearing successive aames of the English sovereigns — Ann and George — 
was called Washington. (Arnold, 511.) 



78 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

This day I prayed with James Grinman, near ye 
" ' point of expiration. This day also Mr. Rosom's 
eldest daughter died. This evening I prayed with sister H. 
Wilson. 

At ye sessions in June past ye Assembly past an act for ye 
Colony to be divided into Counties, viz., Newport County, Prov- 
idence County, and Kings County, 8 in number. 138 

Note. By a letter to me from Boston, dated Aug. 5 th , 1729, 
I have this information, yt every night by order from ye Gov r , a 
company in a night, watches ; and he intimates yt he intends 
it shall be so thro ye winter. The reason of such a watch is be- 
cause in ye last week in July a mob rose to prevent ye landing of 
Irish, and to hinder the merchants from sending away ye corn 
as they attempted. 

This day Mr. Bryant's wife died. My aunt Mason came. 
Fryd., 5. This day Mr. Charles Bardine died. 

This morning I went over to y e Yearly Meeting 139 
at North Kingstown, y e wind exceeding high, but 
blessed be God I got safe over. This day Mr. Everitt began with 
prayer ; 1 began in preaching from yt word Luk. 24 : 32 ; [Mr.] Her- 
indine [Herenden] concluded w ih prayer. After sermon Mrs. Eliz< n 
Moot, of Canterbury, in Connecticut, proposed herself for Bap- 
tism. She gave good satisfaction concerning ye work of God 
upon her soul. 'Twas concluded she should be now baptized, and 
I was chosen to Baptize her, which was done accordingly ; and 
Mr. Valentine Wightman imposed hands. Lodged at Deacon 
Pardon Tillinghast's. 140 

This day Mr. Samuel Maxwell left off preaching. 
Lord's d., 7. rpj^ c | a y >f. wag concluded upon, yt Mr. John Wal- 
ton U1 should pray and begin in preaching, w h he did from Rev. 

138 See R. I. Col. Rec, IV.. 427. Arnold Hist., II , 12, 97. As early as 1704, the colony 
was divided into two counties, the one embracing the islands and called Rhode Island, 
the other the mainland, and called Providence Plantations, Newport and Providence 
being the shire towns respectively. At this second division mentioned by Comer, the 
first county remained as before, receiving only a new name ; the other county was divided 
into two equal parts, the northern portion being called Providence, the southern, embrac- 
ing King's Province, receiving the name of Kings County. 

139 This seems to have been a " Quarterly " meeting of the Association of Six Principle 
Baptists. 

i« Probably the one mentioned by Savage, as a son of the Rev. Pardon Tillinghast, who 
was born in Providence and removed to East Greenwich. — Gencnl. Diet. 

!« John Walton was a man of" liberal education," " a practicing physician," who in 1730 
was invited to preach in Providence, " where a like reformation might be hoped for," as 
was then in progress in Newport. Of his views respecting the imposition of hands upon 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 79 



3 : 20 ; yt Valentine Wightman should second, w h he did from 
Psalms 37 : 27 ; and yt I should close in preaching, w h I did from 
Rom. 5:6; and yt Elder Saim Fisk should finish ye meeting w th 
prayer, which he did. Elder Richard Sweet administered ye 
sacrament. Mrs. E. Moot communed with ye church. 

After ye administration a desire yt a petition from ye whole 
body of ye Association might be presented to ye Geni Assembly 
of Connecticut yt ye Baptists under yt Government might be 
cleared from paying taxes to any ministry but their own, 142 which 
was put to vote, and by a hand vote it was voted in ye affirma- 
tive and yt day signed by a number in ye name and by order of 
ye whole Association. A comfortable meeting. 
„ . „ This day about noon I returned home. Got safely 

Mond., 8. , T . ~ , _, . v 

home. I praise God. This morning Brother James 
Grinman [Greenman] died. This day I prayed with Mrs. Char- 
ity Carpenter, being sick. 

Tuesd 9 This day news came to town of Govr Burnet's 

' s " ' death, who died on Lord's Day ye 7th instant. 

Brother Grinman buried. Brother John Walton preached at 

ye funeral, from Matt. 25 : 10. This day I prayed with Widow 

James. She is a woman of extraordinary experience. 

Here follows an exact coppie of ye petition sent to ye Honour- 
able Geni Assembly of Connecticut, as voted in and by the Asso- 
ciation of ye Baptist churches at North Kingston. 

To the Honourable Gen 1 Assembly of y<= Colony of Connecticut, to be 
convened at New Haven on y e second Thursday of October next. The 
humble Memorial of ye Gen 1 Association of y e Baptist churches, con- 
vened at North Kingston, on y e 6 th day of September, a. d. 1729, humbly 
showeth, That y r Honours' Petitioners having sundry Brethren of their 
Communion dwelling up and down in your Colony, they therefore do 
hereby humbly crave y' an Act of Assembly may be passed to free them 
from paying any taxes to any ministry except their own, and from building 
any meeting houses except for their own use, humbly hoping your Hon- 
ours will consider they are utterly unable to maintain their own way of 

all believers we learn from a letter addressed by Gov. Jenks to the Rev. James Brown, in 
which he says : "As to wbat Mr. Walton holds with respect to laying on of hands upon 
believers as such, I do not understand by him that he opposes it any other ways, than 
if it be performed for the obtaining the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost ; but he 
thinks it ought not to be any bar to communion with those who have been rightly bap- 
tized."— Backus, Hist., II., 22. 

142 The laws of Connecticut, as well as of Massachusetts, during the early history of New 
England, were very stringent against all dissenters from the " established " religion. 
They fell with especial severity upon Baptists and Quakers, who constituted a large propor- 
tion of these dissenters. 



80 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

worship and to pay taxes also to y e Presbyterians, and y ' the gracious act of 
indulgence together with y e reasonableness of our request will be motive 
sufficient to move y r Honours to grant y e request of y r Honours' humble 
Memorialists. Signed in y e name and by y e order of the s d Association, 
this 8 th day of September, A. D. 1729, by 

Richard Sweet, ^ Joseph Holmes, 

Valentine Wightman ( Ebenezer Cook, 

Samuel Fisk, j -""ders. George Gardner, 

John Comer, J Thomas Durke, 

pardon tlllinghast, ebenezer graves, 

John Wightman, James Bates, 

James King. John Tillinghast, 

Benjamin Herendeen, [Herenden.] Joseph Sanford, 

Timothy Peckham, Samuel Weight. 

Here follows what was thought convenient to be added. 

To the Honorable Gen 1 Assembly of y e Colony of Connecticut to be con- 
vened at New Haven on y e 2 d Thursday of October next, these lines may 
signifie y* we y e subscribers do heartily concur with y e Memorial of our 
Brethren on y e other side and humbly request y e same may be granted, 
which we think will much tend to Christian unity and be serviceable to 
true religion, and will very much rejoice your Honours' friends and very 
humble servants. 

Joseph Jenks, Governour, 
James Clarke, } EM 

Daniel Wightman, J 
John Odlin, 
Ezekiel Burroughs. 
Dated at Newport, September y e 10 th , 1729. 

There was drawn from ye Treasury of y e Church at Newport, 
40s. towards defraying ye Charges in preferring ye Petition. 

This day ye lecture was observed instead of Thurs- 
" ' day upon y e account of Mr. Walton's being in town 
to preach. He preached from Matt. 16 : 26, what is a man profited 
if he gain y e whole world, &c. 

This day I went to Bristol, with my Aunt Mason, 
who was bound to Boston. Returned well. I praise 
ye name of ye Lord. This day Sam 1 Hallet and David Richards 
were cleared by ye jury, who went out twice on ye case. 

Here I think to note ye letter from ye Association 

Frvd 12 

of y e Baptist churches, met at Newport, June 21, 
1729, to the brethren belonging to y e meeting house at South 
Kingstown. 



THE DIAKY OF JOHN COMER. gj 



The Association of ye Baptist Churches of our Lord Jesus Christ sitting 
at Newport on Rhode Island this 23* day of June 17*" ZnSg of hi 
Pastors, Deacons, and Brethren of ye respective churches 
South Kt^r tinS '- , T ° thG Brethren hel ^ng to ye meting house in 

and V) S ? Wn ' S -^ graCG ' merCy ' and Peace > from God ™ father 
and ye Lord Jesus Christ. 

We ye above Convention finding ourselves under ye strongest obligation 
to wish well to ye parts of ye mystical body of Christ in gen', and to 5 Sev- 
eral churches to which we stand more immediately related in particular and 
are w.lhng to contribute everything y lies in our power to y'end' and 
having been informed of certain difficulties to which you have been ex- 
posed and are .fall ; do therefore take ye liberty to write this Christian Lter 

o you, wherein we can't but desire, request, and even exhort you Jo str^e 
to put yourselves with all convenient speed into ye most exact order £ ye 
and ZtLl /° SP reqUire \ and inorder hereunto to proceed to choose 
w, , V' e P er80n whom you shall think suitably qualified for ye 

work of ye ministry and who upon probation may be solemnly ordained to 
ye sacred office according to ye tenour of God's word ; and upon Ls occasion 
we can' t but recommend to you (if you think well of it) our beloved Brother 
Darnel Event, whom God in his Providence hath sent among you and 
whose endeavours we hope he hath already blessed for ye good of many 
souls. And we can't see yt, because his wife is not at this time to com 
munion w» you, t is a sufficient bar to obstruct the choice of him 

And we pray yt no self interest may divert you from encouraging him 

SsTrr", h ° Ie i, dear B f ethren ' ™ —it you to God and to ye vford of 

towara you 111 " Wi s h? ymg * V*1 f *" graCe t0 make a11 S race ^ aWd 
towards you. W sh.ng you all ye blessings we can wish for our own souls 

o commuting and commending to ye conduct of Heaven and to r bless^ 

%°^::^z:^ tt a11 good - to —' be * L ^" 

^Newport on Ehode Island, signed in ye name and behalf of ye Assod . 

Daniel Wightman, "^ 
Valentine Wightman, ! 
Nicholas Eyres, ( Elders. 

Stephen Gorton, J 

John Odlin, 
James Brown. 
An exact coppie, Newport, June 23<», 1729. 

s»tuPd M i3. „ Thi 1 s da y Mr - Pel eg" Carr's wife died. Heard Mr 
Crandal from Rev. 19 : 8. Clear gospel sermon. 

Lord's d., i4. _ A chlld ' s flmeral bid to. Mr. [Mrs.?] Carr buried 
from ye meeting house. Mr. Maxwell carried on 

meeting again by reading 4 chapters and praying. 

143 This was the meeting mentioned on page 6fi t Seq. 



82 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

This day I transcribe from my notes Lord's Day 
August ye 13th, 1727 what I delivered in a funeral 
sermon from Ecc. 9 : 5 upon y e death of my wife's father, Mr. 
John Rogers, being ye sum of his just character, who died sud- 
denly ye Friday morning. 

"Hath not ye sudden and surprising death of an exemplary 
Christian something worthy of some notice and remark ? Mod- 
esty almost obliged me to pass such a death by, and not to men- 
tion it in a Publick Auditory. But duty and gratitude to y e 
deceased, whose memory is blessed, and benefit to you, strongly 
and irresistibly engaged me to take notice of a few of y e many 
Christian virtues which shone w th a very peculiar lustre, thro ye 
series of almost 59 years. His studiousness and diligence, his 
watchfulness and integrity in all his undertakings, if we should 
consider him in all relations, we should find ye spirit of a Christian 
acting of [in] him. His earnest zeal in ye promotion of Religion, 
his constant attendance on ye publick ministry of y e word, and 
his wonderful deportment at y e Table of ye Lord, his seriousness, 
gravity, and solemnity, are highly worthy of our remark and ob- 
servation, together with ye many hours of secret communion be- 
tween God and his own soul, and ye savoury discourses of a work 
of grace in w h he took a great delight, give abundant proof y* he 
converst in Heaven, while he tabernacled here upon earth. 

"Among ye various entertainments of a soul sensibly over- 
come w th divine love, he took peculiar pleasure and satisfaction 
in ye doctrines of grace, and in y e illustration of y e excellencies 
of Christ and ye wonderful Redemption wrought out alone by 
him, and was willing to ascribe all unto ye riches of Sovereign 
grace without any merit of his own. He adored Christ as his 
Lord and trusted in his righteousness as ye great Mediator. He 
was zealous to maintain ye doctrine of free grace against all oppo- 
sition whatever. 

" His practice and conversation were agreeable to his Christian 
principles, for he knew y* y e grace yt brings salvation teaches a 
denial of all ungodliness and worldly lust. He was regulated by 
[the] standing rule of God's word (w h he took for his guide) thro 
ye help of ye Holy Spirit at all times. And tho much of his piety 
was undiscovered from y e mean conception he had of himself, 
yet so much was apparently made manifest as demonstrated him 
a real Christian, 

" When it pleased God in y e all wise course of his holy provi- 
dence to invite him into y e glory of his Lord, and to bid a final 



and ye stagnatton of ^ wtte nia * ofT ST „ f natural heat 
were rendered ta*i^XtaSS^ST* ,B m6anS 
the use of his senses till th» iZ*i pl ?^ ecl , &od to continue to him 
ends best known to himsd? bv theT"? houPS , of his «*. yet for 
speech and strength he "was KMES^XSES £* 
serious and dying advices he might KoEawT?^? "f 6 

prehending in himself ve shortness !fff- u , glven - A P" 
your unworthy minister toSSS?htofcS?*S 'h 1 " 1 ?"* 1 
God by prayer, and at y. time he exnressw hi. 1 »• f ^ ° f 

dependence for acceptance w.h God Tte from £?°Lf^ f'. " 6 

he expecfed y cm™ he renTM £T« m ' bei " g ^^ whether 
which was ye L en ire senK to utSXT ' *"* ^ •** 
survivors. And in •ho^S^S^-^** °°?* tau ° n of 
extreme stroke he fell asleen inw »™» „ UrS from ? e flrst 

taking his natural repot and so I ton hoi T' " th ° U « h he was 
in his arms-and *£2d I ta E^SST* n *" ^ 
of God. B1 essed are'ye dead $Z .n^ Lord!° mFTS?" 
t«. m , is. . T hls "'ght died Mr. Tuck, a man who came „ mti„ 
miles out ofS™^ f ^ZX 

ceived his death wound >t1s «S L ^ Ws Sku11 ' and re " 
senseless. Tis said he was yn in drink. He died 

Thirsd., is. Thi ^ d fy I was at Dartmouth at Mr. Philip Tabor'* 
Preached there from Jno 12 : 21 About fin nnfr, 
Got home yt n i°-ht wpII t w ™ Z -^oout bO auditors, 
praise God. g J. W. married. Found all well. I 

Fr yd ., 19 . Visited my people. 

Sat - 2 °- o P S d ^ Cmnda11 fr0m * Pet ' 1 : «■ Well 
Lord's D ., at Preached in course. 
Mond., 2 2. Visited Brother Jno Proctor and Thomas Bnfrhpr 
whom ye day before came from ye JersS At ^ 



84 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

B. Proctor came to visit me. This evening I received a letter 
from Mr. Thomas Symmons, 144 pastor of ye Baptist church in 
South Carolina. 

This day Mr. Wightman and I went down to ye 

beach to see ye sein drawn ; and did so. I obtained 

a coppie of a divorce of Sarah Brown, of Providence, from her 

husband, Jonathan Brown, signed by Mr. Richard Ward, 

Recorder. 

Wednesd., 24. Visited. 

This day I being sent for to ye Almshouse by Mrs. 

Steadman being yn sick ; went and prayed with her. 

She seemed in great terror about her soul. She expressed great 

fear of death. O, said she with great anguish, I am afraid to die, 

I am afraid. O may I have my work well done. 

This day I went to prison to visit Mr. O'Harra, ye 
Church minister of Providence, being under close 
confinement 8 days, and a prisoner 21 days, but he was at large 
and so made his escape, and for y* reason was closely confined. 
A doleful place. Lord, I pray thee grant me thy grace and leave 
me not to commit any ill, so as to expose me to y e difficulties of 
a prison. 

A prison is a house of care, 

A grave for men alive, 
A tombstone for to try a friend, 
No place for men to thrive. 

This day I received a letter from y e Baptist 
saturd.,27. church in Nortn Carolina, 145 settled about two 

M4 " Of the early settlers of South Carolina, a considerable proportion were Baptists. 
They came in separate colonies, about the year 1683, partly from the west of England, and 
partly from Piscataway in the District of Maine." — Benedict, Hist., II , 120. A church was 
formed at Charleston, with William Screven as pastor. " In 1699 they erected a brick 
meeting house," and parsonage house. — Ibid. It was of this church that Thomas Sim- 
mons was pastor, succeeding the Rev. William Peart. During Mr. Simmon's pastorate, 
" the church passed through a series of trials, occasioned by the schism and encroachments 
of the General Baptists." He was the author of a work entitled "Some Queries concern- 
ing the Operations of the Holy Spirit Answered," and died January 31, 1747, being suc- 
ceeded in the pastorate by the Rev. Oliver Hart. [The removal of Baptists from Kittery, 
Maine, to South Carolina, in 1682 or 1683, according to Dr. Basil Manly, "seems only to 
have been a transfer of the seat of worship of the persecuted flock (or a majority of it) 
which had been gathered on the Piscataqua." The church was located first at Somerton, 
S. C, and removed to Charleston about 1693.— J. W W.] 

145 " Moore, in his History of North Carolina, says, ' Sir William Berkeley, Governor of 
Virginia, drove out of that Colony, in 1653, the Baptists and Quakers, who found a refuge 
in the Albemarle region of Carolina.' " " The first church, however, of which we read, 
was not organized till 1727, in the county of Camden." — Bap. Ency. According to Comer, 
Diary, p. 73, it was in the county of Chowan. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 85 

years (in ye year 1727) since, by Mr. Paul Palmer, 146 signed 

by 

John Parker, Thomas Darker, 

John Jordan, James Copland, 

Benjamin Evans, John Welch, 

John Parker, Joseph Parke, 

John Brinkley, William Copland, 

Michael Brinkley, Joseph Parker. 

This church consists of 32 members, it meets at Chowan. 

I received a letter on Monday last from [the] South Carolina 
church. There has been a difficulty in that church with ye minis- 
ter, Mr. Palmer, but 'tis made up. (As to ye difficulty, it appears 
by a letter sent to Boston Church, dated April 13, 1728.) 
Lords d. ( 28. Preached in stated course. 

Mr. Wightman and I went up to visit Mr. Joseph 

Mond., 29. Car( ^ ye aged He reprove( j me exceedingly about 

my wig. I don't know y* I pride myself in it. 

This day [I] transcribed ye first Covenant of this 
Tuesd., 30. Colony ancl its origin^ which I had obtained out of 
ye Records of ye Colony thro ye favour of y e Secretary, Mr. Rich- 
ard Ward." 7 

The Island Aquetneck was purchased of 3 Indian Sachems, 
viz., 148 Canonicus, Miantinomi, Wanamitonoment, by Mr. Wil- 
li 6 Paul Palmer was a native of Welsh Tract, Del., where he was baptized by the Rev. 
Owens Thomas, pastor of the church at that place ; removed to North Carolina, where he 
organized a church, " with which he continued, not, however, without some difficulties, 
until his death." — Benedict, Hist, II., 97. 

!« Richard Ward was born in Newport April 15,1689; his father Thomas, and grand- 
father John, were both members of Cromwell's arm v, the latter as an officer in the cavalry; 
both emigrated to this country and settled in Newport, the son about 1660, and the father 
somewhat later. Richard Ward was Secretary of the Colonv for nineteen years, 1714-33; 
in 1740, was elected Deputy Governor, and upon the death of Governor Wanton, in 1641, 
became Chief Magistrate ; was elected Governor the two following years, 1741-43 ; and died 
August 21, 1763. He married Mary, daughter of John Tillinghast, by whom he had four- 
teen children ; one of whom was Samuel, famous for his connection with the " Ward and 
Hopkins controversy" ; another son, Henry, was Secretary of State for thirty-seven years, 
1760-97.— E. R. Potter, Early Hist. Narr., 310 ; Biog. Cyclop. R. I. 

148 <« West of Pokanoket Country, embracing the islands in and around Narragansett bay, 
the eastern end of Long Island, with nearly the whole mainland as faras Pawcatuck river, 
was the powerful tribe of Narragansetts, including several subordinate tribes, all owning 
the sway of the sagacious and venerable Canonicus, with his brave and generous nephew, 
Miautonomo, as their chief Sachems."— Arnold, Hist., I., 23. The deed of the Indians con- 
veying lands to the new settlers opens on this wise : " The 24 th of y« 1 st month called March, 
in y« yeare (soe commonly called) 1637: Memorandum, That we Cannonicus and Mian- 
tunnomu y« two chief Sachims of the Nanhiqqausetts, by virtue of our generall command 
H 



86 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 



liam Coddington and his united friends, for 40 fathoms of white 
beads, March 24th, 1637-8. 

They incorporated into a Body Politick March ye 7th, 1638. 
This was ye form of ye incorporation : ua 

Khode Island, March y e 7 th , 1638. 
We whose names are underwritten do sware solemnly in y e presence of 
Jehovah to incorporate ourselves into a Body Politick ; and [as] he shall 
help us will submit our persons, lives, and estates, unto our Lord Jesus 
Christ, the King of kings and Lord of lords, and to all those most perfect and 
absolute laws of his given us in his holy Word of truth, to be guided and 
judged thereby. 159 



William Coddington, 151 
William Hutchinson, 153 
William Aspinwall, 155 
John Porter, 157 
Edward Hutchinson, 159 
William Dyre, 161 
Philip Sherman, 163 
Kichard Carder, 165 
Henry Bull , 167 



John Clarke, 152 
John Coggeshall, 154 
Samuel Wilbor, 156 
John Sanford, 158 
Thomas Savage, 160 
William Freeborn, 162 
John Walker, 164 
William Bolstine, 166 
Kandol Holden. 168 



of the Bay, as also the particular subjectinge of the dead Sachinis of Acquidnecke 
and Kitackamuckqutt," etc.— R. I. Col. Rec, I., 45. The third sachem mentioned 
seems to have been subordinate, and resident Sachem of Aquidneck. " This witnesseth 
that I, Wanamatrannemit [as the name is spelled in the instrument] y« at preseut Sachem, 
inhabitant of y e Island," etc. — Ibid., 47. 

149 The language of this instrument as given by Comer, above, is slightly inaccurate ; 
instead of "do swear ... to incorporate," it should read, "do here . . . incorporate"; 
also, instead of "most perfect and absolute laws," it should read, "perfect and most abso- 
lute laws." 

The Scripture passages given in the original, Comer has omitted ; these are Exod. 24 : 3 ; 
2 Chron. 11 : 3, 4 ; 2 Kings 11 : 17 ; in regard to which see Bap. Quart., X., 190. 

Arnold, Hist., I., 124, assumes that this civil compact was signed at Providence. Prof. 
J. C. C. Clarke, Bap. Quart., X., 190, claims that it was signed in Boston, adding: "The 
common assertion that this act was performed in Providence is indefensible." 

The signers themselves of this document, Savage, iu his Geneal. Did., describes as " among 
the best men of Boston." 

The authorship of this compact — " the real first charter of Rhode Island " — with the two 
accompanying "engagements," is unknown. Prof. Clarke thinks " The probabilities of Mr. 
Clarke's authorship of the documents are conspicuous." 

150 The intensely religious spirit pervading the compact of incorporation has led to a 
misunaerstanding of its purpose. While separating Church from State, the colonists rec- 
ognized God as the author of both, and in each as the supreme source of authority. " In 
order to disarm as far as possible all adverse criticism by rival and hostile colonies, and to 
assure themselves and all future comers, that the State, though denied jurisdiction in the 
spiritual realm, was neverthless clothed withdivine sanctions, they declared that God was 
the source of civil authority, and his revealed will, so far as it pertains to the conduct of 
man with man, should be the fundamental law to govern in civil relations. Thus, while 
denying to it ecclesiastical rule, they claimed for the State authority delegated 
by God and recognized by his word." — [Barrows], Develop. Bap. Principles in R. I., 



THF. DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 87 

Remark. This day my little daughter was burnt by a coal fly- 
ing near her eye, but thro God's goodness not in it. O holy 

p. 23. Mr. Arnold, Hist., I., 125, 126, who correctly regards this instrument as a "civil 
compact," and not as " a church covenant," or " a church covenant which also embodied 
a civil compact," is himself iu error when he represents the Aquidneck settlers as lim- 
iting their principles of toleration to men professing Christianity, and not making room 
for those of every faith. — Bap. Quart., VI., 4SS ; X., 191 note ; Cf. Newp. Hist. Magazine, I., 
119-121. 

For further discussion of the aims and purposes of these men who settled Rhode Island, 
see Origin of the Institutions of Rlwde Island, by the Rev. Samuel Adlam (1871), also Settlers 
of Aquidneck and Liberty of Conscience, by Henry E. Turner, M. D. (1880). 

wi William Coddington was born in 1600; came from Lincolnshire, England, to this 
country in company with John Winthrop, arriving at Salem, June 12, 1630 ; was imme- 
diately promoted to offices of trust in the Massachusetts Colony ; built the first brick house 
in Boston; in the controversy of 1636-37 he sympathized with the Antinomian party, as 
did Sir Henry Vane and the Rev. John Cotton ; having as a magistrate vainly opposed the 
violent measures of the government against himself and fellow-adherents of these views, 
he broke up his extensive mercantile business, and was one of the refugees who found an 
asylum in Rhode Island. He was prominent in the movement begun in the closing 
months of 1637, to send out a new colony composed of men who had for their religious 
opinions fallen under the censures of the Massachusetts authorities. Being a man of 
wealth and social influence, and having held high office at the Bay, he was maie the chief 
executive in the organization of the infant Commonwealth. Becoming dissatisfied with 
the complexion of prbiic affairs under the alliance of 1647, he went to England, and suc- 
ceeded in detaching Rhode Island from the Mainland, and in being commissioned Governor 
of the former for life. This commission was revoked in 1652. Mr. Coddington subsequently 
regained in large measure the public confidence; three different times he held the office of 
President of the Colony. Having embraced the religious views of the Quakers, he was 
much disturbed by the rough treatment accorded his fellow religionists in Massachusetts 
and, August 12, 1672, wrote to Governor Bellingham a letter of admonition. Mr. Cod- 
dington died November 1, 1678, and was buried . To his grandson, William, John 

Callender dedicated his " invaluable Century Sermon." — Savage, Gmeal. Eict. 

J52 See note 131. John Clarke reached Boston in November, 1637, when the town was in 
a fever ot excitement, the Antinomian controversy having reached its culmination. He had 
had no share in the troubles that had divided the people ; but he was not slow in making 
his election between the two parties, the oppressed and the oppressors, and he was with 
more than seventy others almost immediately disarmed. He became the counsellor and 
leader of the men who were being distressed for their consciences. He proposed to them a 
solution of the difficulties. In his narrative he says: " I was no sooner on shore but 
there appeared to me differences among them touching the Covenants, and in point of ev- 
idencing a man's good estate; some prest hard for the Covenant of works, and for sanctifi- 
cation to be the first and chief evidence; others prest as hard for the Covenant of grace 
that was established upon better promises, and for the evidence of the Spirit . . . Where- 
upon I moved the latter, forasmuch as the land was before us and wide enough . . . and 
for peace sake, to turn aside to the right hand or to the left. The motion was readily ac- 
cepted, and I was requested, with some others, to seek out a place." — i Mass. Hist. Coll., II., 
23, 24. In studying the records of those early times we are impressed with the fact that, 
while not holding so prominent offices as some others, he was "the power behind the 
throne" ; that his, more truly than any other, was the guiding mind in the infant common- 
wealth. From the outset until his death he was busy with public affairs. In 1651, he was 
sent by a large constituency to England to secure the revocation of Coddington's commis- 
sion ; this task successfully accomp'ished, he remained in London to watch over the im- 
perilled interests of the colony, and, notwithstanding the opposition of powerful rivals, 



88 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

Providence. Prayed with Mrs. Charity Carpenter, being very 
sick. 

obtained a charter guaranteeing " privileges unparalleled in the history of the world " ; that 
declared " that no person within the said colony, anytime hereafter, shall be anywise mo- 
lested, punished, disquieted, or called in question for any differences of opinion on matters 
of religion." Returning home in 1664, Mr. Clarke's counsels and services were in constant 
requisition. His last public act was performed only a few days before his death, in making 
good the defenses of his colony against the savage attacks of the Indians. He died very 
suddenly, April 20, 1670, while the war of *' King Philip " was in progress, menacing the 
peace and safety of the community. He was buried upon his own land, upon what was 
afterwards known as Tanner Street (now West Broadway). — Savage, Gen. Diet.; Cathcart, 
Bap. Ency. 

[John Clarke was a broad-minded, level-headed, strong man ; a man of God. In his 
doctrinal and practical views he was remarkably in accord with Regular Baptists of the 
present time in this country. He was free from the eccentricities which appeared in the 
life of the celebrated Roger Williams. More than any other man he is entitled to be called 
the Founder of the Baptist Denomination in America. His large participation in the 
public and political affairs of the infant colony was rendered necessary by imperative cir- 
cumstances, and can be abundantly justified without regarding it as a precedent for polit- 
ical activity on the part of ministers in an old and settled community. His fame has not 
equaled his merits, but it is to be hoped that future historians will do him fuller justice. 
I know that in this estimate of John Clarke I voice the opinion of the author of these 
Notes.— J. W. W.] 

153 William Hutchinson was born in Lincolnshire, England, about reached 

Boston, September IS, 1634, where he became a member of the First Church on the 
16 th of October, and a freeman the following 4 th of March. He is described as a mer- 
chant, and as being possessed of" a good estate." It was his wife, Anne, who became so 
conspicuous in Boston in connection with the Antinomian controversy, and upon whom 
the severity of Masssachusetts law fell so heavily. Banished from Massachusetts, the wife 
was not deserted by her husband ; he took his family to Rhode Island. He held the office 
of treasurer of the Colony, and when the division took pluce, and most of the public 
officers removed to the south and settled Newport, he was made chief executive of those 
remaining at Portsmouth, the original settlement. He died 1642. The year after his 
death, his wife removed to the Butch Province, and before she was fairly established was 
murdered by the Indians. Mrs. Hutchinson was in many respects a remarkable woman, 
and must have been richly endowed ; but it is a mistate to make her a prominent figure in 
the early history of the new colony ; to represent her as in any sense a leader in the 
movement to settle Rhode Island ; indeed, it does not appear that she had any share even 
in the counsels that led to that result. Their daughter Faith married Thomas Savage. 

154 John Coggeshall came from Essex, England, arriving at September 16, 1632 ; 

admitted a freeman the 6 th of November following; removed to Boston ; was a represen- 
tative in the General Court for several years ; sympathizing with the Antinomians he 
was expelled from his seat, disarmed, and banished; went to Rhode Island, chosen As- 
sistant, then President of the Colony. After filling other honorable positions, he died, 
probably in November, 1689. His son, John, married Elizabeth, youngest daughter of 
William Baulston. 

155 William Aspinwall came to this country in 1630, probably in the fleet bringing John 
Winthrop ; was one of the earliest members of the church in Charlestown, and chosen 
one of the two deacons; soon removed to Boston, became a freeman April 3, 16a2, and in 
1637 a representative in the General Court ; sympathizing with the Antinomian party in 
1637, he was " dismissed, disarmed, disfranchised, and banished " ; entered " with so many 
other of his fellow-faints " the movement to found a new Colony in Rhode Island in 1638, 
and at its organization he became the secretary. But his connection with the Colony was 



THE DIARY OF JOHX COMER. 89 

wednesd., This day I received a letter from ye prison from 
October i. jvir. O'Hara. 



not of long duration, for he went to New Haven in 1641, where he lived a couple of years, 
and thence returned to Boston.— Savage, Geneal. Did. 

i& 6 Samutl Wilbor cau.e to Boston before 1633, where he resided in 1637, and " fell into 
sympathy with the major part of his fellow-worshippers under the dangerous doctrines ol 
Cotton and Wheelwright, so that the body of the people at other places in the Colouy 
deemed it necessary to disarm them in November, 1637 " ; with eight, en others, " among 
the best men of Boston," he assisted to purchase and settle Aquidneck, or Rhode Island ; 
was held in high esteem, so that after his removal to Taunton his name w as retained on 
the list of freemen in 1652. Savage says he had wisdom enough to hold on to his estates at 
Portsmouth, at Taunton, and at Boston, returning to the latter place before making his 
will, April 30, 1656. He died on the 29th of the September following. His eldest son, Sam- 
uel, married a daughter of John Porter, and was named in the royal charter as one of the 
patentees. Ibid. Sheffield differs from some of these statements. 

is? John Porter became a freeman at Roxbury, No\ember5, 1633, whence he removed to 
Boston, becoming an adherent of the Antinomian views in 1637, » as one of the company 
removing to Rhode Island in 1638, was an Assistant in the new Colony in 1641, removed to 
Wickford [or Warwick, as Sheffield states], where he was living in 1674. 

158 John Sanford was in Boston in 1631, and member of the church there, admitted free- 
man April 3, 1632, and same year made cannoneer at the fort; as an Antinomian was in 
1637 disarmed; came to Rhode Island with first settlers, where he held many offices 
of trust, being successively Constable, Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant, and President of the 
Colony in May, 1653. The time is not known. His eldest son, John, married April 17, 
1663, Mary, daughter of Samuel Gorton, and widow of Peter Greene. 

»» Edward Hutchinson, eldest son of William, (note 153), called Jr. to distinguish him 
from his uncle of the same name, to whose name was appended Sen., came a single man to 
Boston before his parents, and became a member of the church, and freeman September 3, 
1634 ; was among the first settlers of Rhode Island, but in a few years returned to Boston, 
where he opposed the cruel measures of the government toward the Quakers. He died 
August. 19, 1675, aged 62 years. 

16° Thomas Savage, son of William, of Somersetshire, England, came to Boston in 1635, at 
the age of 27, became a member of the Boston Church, and a freeman May 25, 1635; 
entered upon the business of a merchant ; was disarmed in November, 1637, and removed 
with eighteen others to Rhode Island, where he remained however but a short time, for 
becoming reconciled with the Boston authorities he returned to dwell [there]. He married 
Faith, daughter of William and Anne Hutchinson. 

lei William Dyre came from London to Boston in 1635, became a member of the Boston 
Church, a freeman March 3, 1636, was disarmed and disfranchised in 1637 for his Anti- 
nomianism ; was of the company removing to Rhode Island in 1638, where he was held in 
high esteem ; he was clerk of the General Court, Secretary of the Colony, and Attorney- 
General when the office was created in 1650. His wife, Mary, a religious enthusiast, was 
hanged in Boston, in 1660. One of their sons was named Mahershalalhashbaz ; their othtr 
children had ordinary names. 

162 William Freeborn, who came from Boston to Rhode Island, in 1637, died at Ports- 
mouth, June 3, 1670, aged SO years. 

163 Philip Sherman arrived at Roxbury, in 1633, a single man ; became a freeman May 
14, 1634; married Sarah Odding, daughter of the wife of John Porter, by a former 
husband; was a member of the Boston Church, but led away in 1637 to "familism" 
(Savage), by Porter, as is supposed, and disarmed; removed to Rhode Island with the first 
colonists, where he was at one time Secretary of the Colony ; he died in 1676. 

i" John Walker arrived at Roxbury, and became a member of the church, and admitted 
freeman May 14, 1634; removed to Boston "to find perhans wider sympathy for his 
heresy," was disarmed in 1637 "with the major part of his ft How-worshippers " ; removed 



90 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

This day I attended ye funeral of Mr. Joseph Bor- 

Fryd., 3. c | en f rom kjg house to ye Quakers' meeting house ; 

John Wanton, 169 Depy Gov preached. He died suddenly on 

to Rhode Island with the first settlers in 1638 ; in the division of the Colony in 1639, 
he went with the larger number to the south to settle Newport; his name appears on the 
roll of freemen at Newport, March 16, 1641, for the last time. 

105 Richard Carder first appears at Roxbury, whence he early removed to Boston, became 
freeman May 25, 1636; " as a supporter of the pestilent heresy " of the Antinomians, was 
disarmed and disfranchised in 1637 ; removed to Rhode Island with other colonists in 
1638; in 1643 was engaged with Samuel Gorton, Randall Holden, Richard Waterman, and 
others in the purchase of Warwick ; was, in defending his rights, imprisoned at Roxbury, 
and placed in irons and threatened with death ; was however released, and he lived in 
peace at Warwick until the breaking out of King Philip's war, when he fled to Newport 
for protection, where he died in 1676. His family afterward returned to Warwick. 
Susanna Carder, supposed to be a daughter of Richard, married Nathaniel, son of Richard 
Waterman. 

166 William Baulston, or Balstone, was admitted a freeman at Boston, October 19, 1630, 
and was in steady employment for the town until 1637, having been " trusted among the 
worthiest" ; was chosen selectman in 1637, but was in the autumn of that year disarmed 
"with a majority of his fellow-worshippers for Antinomianism"; after his removal to 
Rhode Island was assistant in 1639, 41, 56 ; he died March 14, 1679, aged 78.— Savage, Gen. 
Diet. 

16 ? Henry Bull was born in 1610, arrived at Roxbury in 1635, became a freeman May 17, 
1637, removed to Boston, and became infected with the new views gaining such wide cur- 
rency; the Roxbury Church records say, " being weak and affectionate, was taken and 
transported with the opinion of familism, etc., as may be seen in that story," referring to 
the book sent forth by Mr. Welde, the Roxbury pastor, in which he characterizes Anne 
Hutchinson as a " Jezebel" ; falling with others under the displeasure of the government, 
he removed in 1638 to Rhode Island, where he became the Colony's first Sergeant in 1685, 
and 16S9 was Governor of the Colony ; he died January 22, 1693-4, and was buried in the 
Coddington burying ground, on Farewell street. His first wife was Elizabeth, who died 
October 1, 1665; his second wife was Anne Clayton, widow of Nicholas Easton, who died 
June 3, 1707. He built the stone house on Spring street, which is still standing, the only 
building erected by " the first comers" now remaining. 

™ 3 Randall Holden came from Wiltshire, England; his name does not appear in any 
record of the New World until found as one of the witnesses to the deed of the Indian 
Sachems conveying Aquidneck to the first settlers. His name in this list of signers of the 
compact of incorporation has occasioned scholars some little difficulty. Comer in the 
above list omits the name of Edward Hutchinson, sen., and gives Randall Holden, making 
the number eighteen. Callender, Hist. Disc, p. 84, gives Edward Hutchinson, sen., and 
omits Randall Holden, making the number eighteen, as does Comer. Backus gives the 
number of signers as nineteen, including both the above names. The R. I. Col. Rec, also 
give the number of names as nineteen. Arnold, Hist., I., 124, says, " Holden's is separated 
from the others by a line." "There were eighteen original proprietors and nineteen 
signers of the compact." Holden could not have been one of the purchasers, as his name 
appears as one of the witnesses to the deed. 

i« 9 John Wanton, son of Edward and Elizabeth Wanton, was born in 1672 ; " was deputy 
governor from 1721 to 1722, and from 1729 to 1734, when, upon the death of his brother 
William, he was elected Governor seven times successively;" thus for twelve consecutive 
years, " the first five as deputy governor and the last seven as chief magistrate, he had 
held the highest offices of the State," when he died while still in office, July 5, 1740, and 
was buried in the Clifton burying ground on Golden Hill street, in Newport. He was for 
many years an approved minister of the Society of Friends, and is said to have been very 
eloquent. — Arnold, Hist., II., 126 ; Biog. Cyclop. R. I. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 91 



Wednesday evening before 9 of ye clock. He was abroad on his 
horse about sunset. 

The voice of sudde i death is yt— Be you also ready. O may I 
be so. From ye Monthly Mercury for June 1729 in London, were 
christened 1279 and buried 1805 ; there decreased 716. 
sat., 4. Attended church meeting. 

Lord's d 5 This mornin S I was sent for to pray with Mr. 
Daniel Shrief who was exceeding low— Did so— and 
again at evening. 

Mcmd. r e. Prayed w* Mr. Daniel Shrief. 

Tuesd 7 Visited Mr. Barker and Capt. Peckcom in ye 

woods. 170 I have not been there before [in] 9 months. 

This 7th of Octr I paid Capt. Peckcom ye use money for ye fifty 

pounds he took up for me of ye Colony, w^ was £2 10s. Od. So 

yt there is one bond taken up. 

wednesd s Ex ceedingly beyond measure almost bowed down 
' and depresstin my spirits about living in ye O [world?] 
—circumstances low, and my spirits low even to an extreme, about 
ye affairs of my former flock. The ark of God is taken— the can- 
dlestick i3 shaking. O yt ye church, if worthy, may be supplied 
by Thee, O Lord God. Find and send by him whom Thou wilt 
send. I am also so low in spirit yt I can't see the end why ye 
holy God is contending with me. O Lord show me ; lead me in 
ye way everlasting. I am in much fear about my soul; my 
precious soul I want to see it precious to God. Lord, I fear I 
have no oyl [oil]. O, let me know I have oyl [oil] by my lamp 
burning brighter. 

Thirsd.,9 This mornin g Mr. Crandall and I visited Mr. 

Shrief. I prayed w^ him upon request, 
saturd ii He ard Mr. Crandall and Mr. Hiscox from yt word, 
He yt is ashamed of me and of my ways in this sin- 
ful — 

Lord's d 12 Mr * Hiscox preached in our congregation from 1 
" Peter 4 : 18. Well opened. Mr. Henry Loveall 
preached in ye evening by candle light in ye meeting house. 

no Previous to the Revolution, the island of Rhode Island seems to have been well 
wooded. The outskirts of the town of Newport were designated " the woods." Thus we 
read that about 1710 and later, school teachers were elected for the " woods part of the 
town while in 1714 one was " chosen school master for the town part of this township » • 
and that in 1723, an order was passed appropriating from the Public Treasury monev for 
tmilding the school house in the woodB."— Early School History of Newport, by Benj. B 
Howland, in the Newport Mercury, December 4th and 18th, 1875, January loth and 29th 
1876 ; An. Hep. Sch. Com. of Newport, 1876 or 1877, pp. 53-56. 



92 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

Mr. Henry Loveall signified his desire to visit ye 
"' ' churches in the Jersies and earnestly requested a line 
from ye ministers here. I was desired to draw a few lines. An 
exact coppie. 

These lines may signifie to the Baptized churches of our Lord Jesus 
Christ in the Jersies and places adjacent, That our Brother, Henry Loveall, 
the hearer, having had a desire to make a visit into your parts, we do 
by these signifie to you y* we know nothing hut y 4 his conversation is 
agreeable to y e gospel of Jesus Christ. We would further notifie to you y 4 
he has been sometimes exercised in y e ministration of y e word. These 
therefore are to recommend him unto the communion and fellowship of y e 
churches among you where God in his holy providence may cast him. 

So committing both you and him toy e conduct and protection of heaven, 
earnestly wishing you all y e blessing of y e everlasting covenant, we sub- 
scribe ourselves your affectionate Brethren iny e bonds of y e gospel of Jesus 
Christ our Lord. • James Clarke, 

Daniel Wightman. 
John Comer. 

Newport on Rhode Island, Oct r y e 13, 1729. 

Here follows w* I gave him privately : 

Brother Loveall : I earnestly wish y e Lord to be with you in your in- 
tended journey and desire you would gratifie me in y e following particulars. 
(1) In each place you go to strive to know in w 4 year y e ch was first con- 
stituted. (2) W number of members they respectively consist of at this 
time. (3) W is their constitution in principles, whether gen 1 or particular. 
(4) W 4 are their terms of communion. (5) W year y e agreement was 
made in to hold communion at y e table of the Lord w th such as were not 
under imposition of hands. (6) How many churches there are in com- 
munion.' (7) Be sure to present my hearty respects to each church. (8) 
Endeavor to do all possible good among them y* you can. These things 
from your loving B r , John Comer. 

N. Rhode Island, Oct r y e 13, 1729. 

He had gathered here towards it, £4 15s. 0d.[?] 
This evening, in Mr. Thurston's tan vats, 171 a child of Mr. 
"Will™ Claggett's 172 was drowned. 

Wl Wanting. 

i'2 William Claggett was a clock-maker in Newport, and of considerable celebrity in his day. 
Several of bis tall clocks of elegant workmanship may still be found in the homes of New- 
port, keeping good time, and serving as ornamental pieces of furniture. He was a man of 
marked ingenuity, and was possessed of an inquiring mind. The subject of electricity 
which was then just beginning to attract the attention of scholars, was made by him a pro- 
found study. He is said to have anticipated Franklin in some of his experiments. He 
constructed for his use an electrical machine of large dimensions, which Franklin saw on 
a visit to Newport. Although the latter " had made some electrical experiments by the 
friction of glass jars, yet this was the first machine of the kind he had ever seen." This 
machine is in the possession of the heirs of the late Doctor David King. Mr. Claggett pub- 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 93 

xuesd 14 This day * received a lett er from Mr. James Brown, 
minister at Providence. Here follows w* he wrote 
concerning what I wrote to him for to be sent to [the] South 
Carolina church. An exact coppie. 

Providence in y e Colony of Rhode Island in New England, Oct' 2, 1727. 
Jonathan Brown m « did confess Christ and was Baptized in his name- for 
instance David Eldrege was Baptized at y e same time and Jonathan Brown 
as far as we know walked orderly for some time, but y n grew cold in his 
religion— Difference arising between him and his wife— and it was reported 
that he used strong drink to excess ; but this not being proved as matter of 
fact, we did only advise him to better watchfulness and warn him of y e 
danger to come, which was done several times, but he left his place in y e 
church, and so left the town. The woman y* was his wife is yet alive- she 
was divorced by an act of Court which she obtained after long suit for'it. 

James Brown, Pastor, 
Timothy Sheldon, 
John Dexter, 
John Stone. 

Also this day thrre were 3 funerals in the town, and two per- 
sons besides lay dead. The funerals were, Mary Weeden, Willm 
Claggett's child, and Jonathan Clarke's child. Those who lay 
dead were Joseph Card aged 81 years, and Mr. Jackson. 
wednesd 15 This day I com Pteted ye gathering yt I made in 
order to send to England to get a set of Mr. Joseph 
Stennett's works. 

£ s. d 

John Odlin 5 

James Green 10 

Reuben Packcom 5 

Joseph Sanford .'.... 10 

Mary Herod * j q 

AbigalDyre .."!'.' .0 10 

Dinah Packcom , 5 

Elizth Fortine 1 

Elizth Tillinghast .0 10 

Total 4 15 

lished a tract entitled, A Looking Glass, etc., which is very rare, and for a copy of which 
twenty-five dollars has heen refused. He was born in 1696, it is said, in Wales; came to 
Boston, where he learned the trade of clock-making, probably of Benjamin Bagnall who 
was in business in Boston, in 1718; married Mary, daughter of Matthew and°Mar'garet 
Armstrong, of Boston, who owned an estate in Middle Street, now Hanover Street; was 
admitted a freeman at Newport May 3, 1726; was a Notary Public in August, 1746; had a 
second wife, Rebecca, who survived him, and was mentioned in his will ; he died in New- 
port, October 18, 1749, and was buried in the common burying ground 
™X See page 84. 



94 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

Preached at ye place of Baptizing. Joseph Card 

Thirsd., 16. , . , r 

buried. 

This day I read over ye affairs of the trouble in ye 

saturd., is. cnurcn t Elder Ephraim Wheaton, who came down 

to visit my former people. I don't find by him any repentance 

in y m for ill management, neither do I learn any good desires 

in ym. 

Preached in course. Elder Wheaton administered 
" ' the Sacrament of y e Lord's Supper to my people. 
This is y e 2 d time this year. 

Visited my people, and Mr. Clap ; he said if people 

would but weigh ye affair of divine grace in ye scale 

of right reason expressed to fallen man and not to fallen angels 

'twould serve to convince them of y e greatness and sovereignty 

of it. Divine grace is free to all, but more free to some. 

Prayed with Daniel Shrief, continuing low. This 
" ' day came news of y e small pox being in Boston. It 
came in about ye middle of y e month, brought in an Irish vessel, 
who (as I hear) threw over 19 in their passage. 

This day instead of a lecture, a funeral sermon was 
preached by Mr. Wightman in ye meeting house, 
over y e corpse of Mr. Peleg Carr's little daughter. 

Visited Mr. Clap ; in discourse he said that holy 

' ' things were too good and wickei things too bad, for 

banter and laughter. True words. Mr. Jno Adams visited me. 

My antient acquaintance Mr. John Hobbs visited 

Wednesd., 29. 

me. 
Exceeding rainy ; preached from Luk. 10 : 42, but 

Thirsd., 30. ., n . , . . 

12 people at lecture. 
Attended Mr. Crandall's meeting. Mrs. Lydia 
Fryd., 3i. j^y^ er Baptized by him. A small auditory. 

Attended Mr. Crandall's meeting, Mrs. Lydia 
Novemr'i. Ryder passed under hands. This day 4 years I came 
to live on Rhode Island. 

Preached in course. At even Mr. Constant Devo- 

Lord'sD.,2. .. . ., . 

tion visited me. 
Here I would observe the admirable providence of 
Tuesd., 4. m y g OOC i Q d towards me in his divine preservation 
shown to me and mine. 'Tis this. On Thursday, May the 15 th 
my mother being in the forenoon about 10 of y e clock in ye 
chamber bedroom, laid down her pipe in a chair near y e bed and 
not so well observing whether there were any fire or no, soon 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 95 

went down stairs. A little time after, my wife going up smelt 
something burn, and going into y e room found it full of smoke 
and a cap in ye chair ready to blaze, and by y* means it was ex- 
tinguished. O w* a cause have I to bless ye Lord for his protection 
and goodness. This I penned in a small note which occasioned 
its being misplaced. 

This day I wrote a letter to Mr. Thomas Sym- 
wednesd., 5. monds> pastor of t he Baptist Church in South Caro- 
lina. This evening, about seven of ye clock, in the North 
appeared and continued for several hours a bright light of a large 
extent like y e breaking of the day. It had a slow motion 
towards the East, as all ye appearances of y* like nature have 
had, tho there were no spears in it as I discovered. 
Thirsd., e. Preached. Mr. Wightman at Narragansett. 
pryd., 7. "Wrote a letter to y e church at Chowan, in North 

Carolina, 
mesd., ii. This day died Sam* Clarke, a youth, 
wednesd., i2. Thd s day I set out on a journey to Swanzey, on 
foot ; got there about four of y e clock to Mr. Callender's chamber. 
Lodged yt night at Deacon Kingsley's ; much tired. (This day 
died at N. port Mr. James Noice [Noyes], a young gentleman, 
educated at Yale Colledge in Connecticut.) The schoolhouse 
raised. 

This being public Thanksgiving through the 
" ' Province, I preached at Swanzey, in Elder 
Mason's congregation. Small auditory. Dined with Mr. Cal- 
lender. Comfortable day. Lodged yt night with Mr. Jn° Cal- 
ender. (This day died at N. port Major Nathi Sheffield. 173 ) 

This day I went over to Providence. Borrowed 

Fryd., 14. M] , wmm Turner >g horge# Q ot there about 3 p. M. 

Visited Capt. Will m Potter, who was supposed near his end. 
He knew me but wasn't in a capacity to discourse. 

This morning about break of day Capt. Potter 

died, a worthy member of y e Baptist Church in 

Providence, much lamented. I was requested the next day to 

173 Nathaniel Sheffield was the son of Ichabod (of Joseph) and of Mary Parker (daughter 

of George), and was born April 8, 1667 ; married Mary , who died in 1707, aged 35 ; 

married again Katharine Gould, widow of James, and daughter of Walter Clarke, who 
died January 25, 1752, aged 83, having survived her husband many years. Mr. Sheffield 
was in public service ; was deputy from Newport almost continuously from 1699 to 1713 ; 
General Treasurer of the Colony from 1705 to 1707; in 1711 was appointed major of the 
forces on the Islands; he died November 13, 1729, aged 63.— From MS. of W. P. Sheffield, 
Esq. 



96 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 



preach y« funeral sermon. This clay a snow fell deep — the first. 
Lodged at Col. N. Powers. 

This day I preached at y e funeral of Capt. Potter, 
" ' at y e meeting house in Providence, from these 
words, Ps. 116 : 15, Precious in the sight of y e Lord is the death 
of his saints. A vast auditory of all sorts of people. After 
prayer, Joseph Smith, a Quaker, said a few words moderately. 
Lodged at Col. N. Powers'. 

This day twelve months ago the sermon which 
offended my people was preached. 1 adore divine 
goodness expressed towards me in carrying me through yt sink- 
ing trouble I met w tl » from y m . Remained at Provi lence. 
Lodged at Justice Tillinghast's. 

This day visited Elder Brown and Deacon Win- 

Tuesd 18 

" ' sor. m My horse sent to Swanzey. This evening I 
was entertained with a rare water-melon at Col. Powers' yt grew 
in his garden. Lodged at Justice Tillinghast's. 

This day about sunset Mr. Dodge's sloop set sail 
" ' for N. port, in which I obtained a passage. We 
arrived at N. port about ten of ye clock yt night. A very com- 
fortable passage. Got safe home. Blessed be y e Lord. 
Thirad., 20. Preached at y e lecture in my wonted course. 

The letter my people sent to Swanzey for help I 
saw in ye church book, dated at N. port Sept. 15th. 



Pryd., 21. 

Signed by 



Willm Peckcom, Elder, 
Sam'l Maxwell, Deacon, 
George Hall, 
James Peckcom. 

This evening after y e service of y e day was over 
Lord's d„ 23. ^ Hiscox preached in ourmeet'g house an evening 
lecture, the 2 d in yt place. 

Visited. This day I record ye comfortable account 
Mond., 24. which j rece i vec i 5 that on Thursday the 6* of this 
month ye Baptist church in Swanzey and ye brethren belonging 
to Palmer's River, joined together again, after they had stood 
off near four years, and y e Lord's day following communed to- 
gether. I desire to praise God for it. 

This day I wrote a letter to Deacon Prime of New 
Tues ., . ]y£iif or( j } n Connecticut. 

«* (Wanting.) 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 



97 



Thirsd., 27. _ ™ s dav I received a letter from Mr. Callender of 
Preached *£££? * De8Mn J ° b S — ° f <»>—*. 

pry d .,28. Thl s da £ attended Mr. Jno Adams' lecture: he 
preached from Matt. 22 : 12. 

saturd., 2 9. T T1 Y S da y J wr ote to Mr. Stephen Gorton, of New 
London. Mr. Job Sanford visited me, being just go- 
ing to sea. SJ^Lfcu 

lord's d.,so. Cached in course. Prayed with Mr. Benjamin 
Burroughs between meetings, and at night 

bJss, N T ttX IS. 1 SE£ Mr - Palmer ' minister at 

Wednead ' 3 - JoseprShuf^ yeaCC ° Unt **•««**» to 

F — isterif^Yort alGtter t0 ^^ ^»^ 
wednesd.. 10 . , W f ° te a Iet <*r to Br. E. Callender in Boston This 

M, Jn o CalleS^eTvSr "* *"* — t0 ^ 
Thirsd., a. Visited Mrs. Russell on ye death of her husband 

^21 n . m C0UrSe< Between mee tings Mr. 

Mond., is. ho ™ s evening Mr. Gorton preached at R. Gardner's 
Thirsd., is. Thi . s d ay Mr. Joshua Clark's funeral was bid to 
ture ye W time ^ ^ ^ ^ Mr ' Sam ' Maxwe11 at £ 

Pryd - 19 - hr^> tended Mr * Clark ' s funerah Visi ted sundry 
brethren in ye woo ds. This day James Clark, a 

Lord -s d 2 i * T g T ^'. S ° n ° f La ™ce Clark, died. 

■■ Z1 - Preached m course, 
wednesd., 24. Brother John Proctor paid me a visit 

Mr Sami Maxwell attended lecture. O yt broth- 

' 25 ' lZmZr\ he ^rT" may be -newedand 
a ^ * ^ established. I am sure I delight in it. 

Attended Mrs. Matthews' funeral who died ye day before. 



98 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

This evening just after nine an alarm was beat to find a little boy 
yt was missing who lived w th Henry Saben. 

This morning Gideon Wanton's 175 child's funeral 

Fryd., 26. , . , , 

bid to. 
Preached in course. This day the council met 

Lord's D., 28. , , ■,, 

about y e small pox. 
As to the affairs of the past year, I have met with 
" ' many things hard and exceedingly uncomfortable, 
especially about my church in their ill carriage to me; but I 
have found y e Lord wonderfully supporting of me under it, 
praised be his holy name. 
It has I think been the most trying year to me on many accounts. 
There have been this year two drowned ; one found dead in 
his boat, Mr. Updike ; one stood in the pillory and [was] dipt. 

There have been seventeen received into the church to whom I 
preach. This year I Baptized one as a minister at large, i. e., 
under no obligation as pastor to any particular flock, at Narra- 
gansett Yearly Association — Elizabeth Moot. 
A Presbyterian meeting house built. 

What I had this year for support from the church and congre- 
gation amounts to £129 Os. Od. 

An exact account of what I owe in the world this first day of 
January, 1730, John Comer. 

£ 

To the Colony 50 

Mr. Jn<> Odlin 50 

Sister Elizth Barker 40 

Mother Rogers 40 

Mr. Arnold Collins 40 

Mr. Willm Swan 16 

Mr. John Clarke 5 

Mr. Jonathan Kingsley 12 

Madam Judith Cranstone 20 

Sundries in small debts 18 



s. 


d. 































































Total 291 



"5 Gideon Wanton, son of Joseph and Sarah (Freeborn) Wanton, was born in Tiverton, 
October 20,1693; married February 6, 1718, Mrs. Mary Codman, who died September 3, 
1780; for two years, 1745-47, held the office of Governor. While in office, responded to the 
call for troops to assist in carrying on the war against France. The people nobly supported 
him, but " no man took a deeper interest in it than the Quaker Governor of Rhode Island." 
Mr. Bartlett says: "That although a Quaker, he was a belligerent one, and fully equal to 
the emergency, and had he been Governor and Captain-General of Rhode Island in 1861, 
would have been among the first to send a regiment of Rhode Island volunteers to Wash- 
ington." He died September 12, \7&T.—Biog. Cyc/op., H. T. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 99 

My house in which I now live which was built by me and first 
inhabited Sept. the 23 d , 1728, cost according to my most exact 
computation for the bare materials and building together with 
the land on w h it stands £302 3s. 6d. I was lately offered if I 
would sell it £340, under which if I did sell I could not do it, be- 
cause I was favored by several in y e price of sundry materials, 
which, were I now to build, and ye money being so much fallen 
in its currency, it would cost me so [much] if not more. What I 
have in the house if priced as to utensils amounts to about £150. 

£ s d 

House 302 3 6 

Household utensils 150 

Amounts to 452 3 6 

Debts 291 

Bemains by subtracting my clear estate. 161 3 6 

So that I find I have a sufficiency to pay all to whom I owe 
anything in the world if I should be speedily taken away. I 
commit my soul unto y e hands of God who gave it me, and my 
body to be decently interred at ye discretion of my surviving 
friends, hoping through the merits of Jesus Christ to obtain ye 
free remission of all my sins and an inheritance among y m yt are 
sanctified; and [I] bequeath after my just debts are paid ye re- 
mainder, £161 3s 6d, unto my dear wife and tender babes, to whom 
it j ustly and principally doth belong. So committing them to the 
Lord who is able fully to supply them, desiring the God of peace 
that brought again from ye dead ye Lord Jesus Christ, the great 
Shepherd of ye sheep, might thro' ye blood of the everlasting 
covenant make them perfect to do his will ; working in ym y t w h is 
well pleasing in his sight thro Jesus Christ, to whom be glory, 
honour, and praise, world without end. Amen. 

John Comer. 

Newport in Khocle Island, 

January the 1st, 1730. 

Lord's d This day J be & in a new y ear - 0n that a11 things 

January i, i73o. ma y Decom e new within me ! Oh that I may purge 
out ye old leaven yt so I may be a new lump unto the 
Lord ! 1 Cor. 5 : 7. 
Fryd., 2. This day Mr. Davis died. 
saturd., 3. Attended Church meeting. 



100 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

Lord's d., 4. Preached in course. 

Mrs. Arault's funeral bid to. Mr. John Hobbs 

Tuesd., 6. . ., , 

visited me. 

My brother James Phillips came to this Island in 
' order to sail hence to y e West Indies and London. 

This day I wrote a letter to y e Baptists at Spring- 
field, directed to Doctor John Leonard. 
This day being sent for I prayed with Mrs. Eady 
Lord ' sD - 25 - being sick. 

This day Mr. Wightman went to ye almshouse to 
Fryd., 3o. v . g .^. jj annan Weston. Upon request I prayed with 

her. 
Lord's d.. This [day] preached in course. 
February i. rp^jg morn i n g a woman named Becks, at ye Point, 
Mond.. 2. was found dead in her bed. 'Twas supposed she died 

in her sleep being alone. 
Tuesd., 3. This day I preached at ye funeral of Mr. R. Gard- 
ner's child. 

This night between nine and ten of ye clock in ye 
North appeared the aurora borealis, having many 
bright streamers extending towards the zenith. 

This day Col. William Coddington 176 and Jahleel 
Fryd., e. j$ ren t n m ? two of the Committee for signing ye bills 
of public credit, went to Boston to attend the court, at which were 
to be tried y e next week Paul Eunice, who was found in uttering 
(and suspected for counterfeiting) sundry bills of this Colony, in 
Nov past. 

Prayed with y e widow Thurston's child, being very 

Mond., 9. i 

low. 
This day Mr. Maxwell stopt ye church and proposed 
Lord-sD., is. for Mr John Walton to be sent for to supply my 

place in ye church w h was under my care, which was concluded 
in ye affirmative. I learn yt Mr. Will m Claggett is a principal in- 
strument in y* affair. I am informed yt Philip Smith is some- 
thing delirious ; yt ye same wicked spirit still rules in Edward 
Smith and Capt Will m Peckcom as in ye height of y e difference, 
who were y e principal wicked instruments in it, tho they were 
willing to lay all upon me, w h is utterly false. But I am sup- 
ported by God's infinite grace and this day by yt word, Psalm 
37 : 1, 7, 8, 9. Fret not thyself because of evil doers. 

m ana m (Wanting). 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. iOl 

This evening Mr. Jn<> Callender was married at Swanzey to 
Mrs. Elizabeth Hardin. 

This day Mr. Jn° Callender preached his farewell sermon at 
Swanzey from Ps. 133 : 1, and proposed to lay down ye ministry 
altogether. 

The interest of Christ in ye Baptist churches looks very dark at 
this time ; the harvest is great, but ye labourers are few. Oh y* ye 
Lord of y e harvest would furnish and send forth into his harvest ! 
I mourn over y e churches. Lord show w* is y e ground of thy 
controversie. 

The trouble at Swanzey was on ye account of Mr. Callender, in 
that some were willing to divert my settling there in y e year 
1725, because y e way might be open for him, which was two 
years before he was a professor. He was baptized in Boston in 
June 1727, in w h month he began his public ministry in Boston, 
and about ye month of August, 1728, he began to preach at Swan- 
zey and continued to do so till JFeb. ye 15, 1730. On ye day ye 
church met to choose him to office he signified his design to de- 
sist y e service, to the great trouble and surprise of the church. 

This day died Mrs. Elizth Coddington widow of 
rs " 9 Mr. Edward Coddington. 

This day Mr. Adams' church met to give him a dis- 

Wednesd., 25. ..~ 1 • i 1 • i tit 

mission from his charge, which was accordingly done, 
but no letter of recommendation. He came to this Island Au- 
gust 5, 1727. Mr. Adams preached in the schoolhouse January 
ye 21, 1728 ; was ordained April ye 11, 1728 ; was dismisst, Feb- 
ruary ye 25, 1730 ; removed out of town March ye 2, 1730 ; his 
people had contended with him about a year. Though there be 
troubles yet God's foundation is sure. 
Thirsd., 26. This day prayed with Mrs. Bingham, being sick. 
Fryd., 27. This day prayed with her again. 

This day I went to visit Mr. Jn° Adams, being just 
March 2. going out of town. I received a letter from Mr. 
Symmonds, minister at South Carolina. 

This day I went to visit Elder Peckcom, who dis- 
coursed to my satisfaction about y e trouble and ye 
things of God. 

This day Edward Thurston's child was buried 

from ye meeting house ; ye meeting carried on with 

prayer. 

Fryd e Tnis da ^ Mr# "* n ° Walton came to town by request 

from my former congregation to preach to y m , and to 



102 THE DIARY OP JOHN* COMEB. 

settle among y m , if it might be comfortable. Lord if it be thy 
holy will give y m new hearts and sincere aims to thy glory in this 
undertaking, and remove away ye bitter spirit of envy y i is still 
I fear too much reigning in three or four of y m against me, and 
forgive y m and me also for Christ's sake. 

This day Mr. Jn« Walton preached to my former 
Lord s d., 8. con g r egation. This night he lodged at my house. 

This day Mr. Jn° Walton preached a lecture in ye 
Tuesd., 10. mee £ m g house. I am sure I desire y e Lord might 
direct him what to do. Things respecting his settlement with 
y m appear strange to me at this time. 
Thirsd., i2. Preached ; Mr. Wightman absent. 

Mr. Walton preached again to my former congre- 
" ' gation. That w h is of God will stand ; but if it be 
not of God, in his own time it will be brought to naught. Lord 
I pray thee to enable me to stand still and see the working of thy 
holy Providence. Fortifie me w th all suitable grace and thy name 
shall be glorified. 

This night Mr. Jn° Callender lodged at my house 
" ' and had suitable opportunity for conference. 

This day I preached at Mr. Thomas Stevens's 

Lord's D., 22. , 

house. 
Mond., 23. This day I began to keep school. 

This day I had a number of verses printed for 
Mond..3o. children? 400> Cos t 26s. 

I wrote a letter to Mr. Nath 1 Jenkins, 178 minister 

Thirsd 

April a'.' a t Cohansey. This day being a day of prayer in ye 
Massachusetts, I heard Mr. Clap preach in his house 
from Ps. 79 : 8, 9 verses, excellently well. 

Attended church meeting. Prayed with Dr. Ar- 

Saturd., 4. ^^ j.^ d^g^er. 

This day y e 7th Day Congregation met in my old 

Saturd., 18. mee t m g hOUSe. 

About this time I received a letter from Mr. Paul Palmer, 
minister in North Carolina together w th a manuscript for ye 
press, entitled Christ the Predestinated and Elected. 

The form of the Agreement of the Baptist church on Rhode 
Island when they built a meeting house (owning ye Doctrine of 

" 8 Nathaniel Jenkins was born in Wales in 1678 ; emigrated to this country, and settled 
at Cape May, New Jersey, in 1712 ; in 1730 became pastor at Cohansey, where he died in 
1754. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 103 

Gen 1 Redemption, under the pastoral care of Mr. James Clarke 
and Daniel Wightman) : 

Whereas it hath pleased Almighty God to put it. into our hearts, viz., 
James Clarke, Daniel Wightman, Jeremiah Clarke, m >«, John Odlin, and 
the rest mentioned in the instrument above written, bearing date January 
y e 28, 1706-7 to purchase the land in the said instrument for y e use and ser- 
vice of God and have good and lawful right thereunto and full power in 
ourselves to order and perpetuate the same to future generations forever. 
In pursuance thereof we the above s d purchasers are mutually and unani- 
mously agreed and resolved on y e settlement of s d lands to ourselves and 
successors forever in manner and form following : First, we deem, as it is to 
be understood, these only our successors who are in the same faith and prac- 
tice as we are now in as may be seen in y e 2 d Article of the Agreement. 

1. That James Clarke and Jn° Rhodes above named were chosen by s d 
purchasers to build a meeting house on s d lands, who have accomplished y e 
same, defraying y e charge thereof with money gathered amongst y e pur- 
chasers of y e land whereon it now stands. 178 ^ 

WX Jeremiah Clarke, second son, I suppose, of Jeremiah Clarke, one of the signers of 
the original compact, and brother of Walter Clarke, so long prominent in the public affairs 
of the colony; " was deputy from Newport from 1696 to 1705 inclusive, and otherwise is 
not prominent in the public records. His progeny is exceedingly numerous, and includes 
among others the family of the late Audley Clarke, Esq., with Gardners, Fowlers, etc., 
from Newport; and of Providence, several of the oldest and best known families." — Dr. 
Henry E. Turner, who has given an extended notice of " Jeremy Clarke's family," in the 
Newport Hist. Magazine, Vol. I., pp. 75-96, 129-155. 

iraj* Mr. Comer says this was the first meeting house the church had, and he thinks it 
was built at tbe time the first purchase of land was made, namely, in 1697. He says: 
" The land on which the meeting house now standeth [1729] was made over to y church 
by Mr. James Clarke, Pastor ; who obtained y« deed thereof in his own name, October the 
23d, 1697. In which year the first meeting bouse was built." He then gives the following: 
" To all Christian people to whom the present Instrument may come. I James Clarke of 
Newport on Rhode Island in y« Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations &c. 
Coopper, [i. e., cooper, by trade,] sendeth greetings. Know y° y' whereas I said James Clarke 
did buy or purchase a certain piece of land lying and being in y e town of Newport afores d 
containing 30 foot from North to South and from East to West and is bounded Easterly on a 
highway, Northerly and Westerly on Nath 1 Coddington's land, Southerly by a piece of land 
left out for a highway, all which lot or land was bought by me s d Clarke of Major Nathi Cod- 
dington, together with all y" rights and privileges thereunto belonging as is set forth more 
at large and will more fully appear by y« deed thereof bearing date October y e 23 d , 1697, 
reference thereunto being had. ... as also another piece of land containing 30 feet in 
length and 40 feet in width, and part of s d purchase is a certain gore containing S feet in 
breadth, and is butted and bounded Northerly on s* Coddington's land, Easterly on a 
highway and land already in possession of s d Clarke, and Westerly on land of s d Clarke's, 
and Southerly on a way, as may more fully appear by a deed for ye same bearing date 
March y« 23 d , 1703-4, reference thereto being had. Know y« y 4 1 James Clarke do hereby 
declare and publish that y e money y 4 did purchase both pieces of land was contribution 
money given by certain brethren (hereafter named) to build a meeting house on for the 
worship and service of God. and for y e accommodation of the same ; And do declare y' 
I James Clarke have but an equal right or privilege with y« rest of my brethren hereafter 
namied, and for y° weakening, cutting off, and nulifying, any right, titles or just claim y* 



104 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

2. By faith and practice with us, we mean and intend those that are 
dipped into water with a verbal demonstration of their faith and repent- 
ance, yielding obedience to all y e rest of the ordinances of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, as laying on of hands with a real faith in y e Resurrection of y e dead, 
andy e Eternal Judgment; as also keeping their holy union and fellowship 
in Breaking of Bread and Prayer ; as will be better seen and is set forth 
more at large in a printed sheet or declaration of faith and practice of y e 
Baptized churches, falsely called Anabaptist, in London and in other places 
in England; w h sheet is signed by certain Elders and Brethren of s d 
churches to y e number of 73, and printed in y e year 1691. 

3. We signifie by these presents y l we are mutually agreed y l if ourselves 
y e purchasers of y e land mentioned for holy use in y e instrument above 
written bearing date January y e 23, 1706-7, and likewise mentioned in y e 
present discourse, — we say if we ourselves or our successors shall by y e bap- 
tized ch [urch] or churches in faith and practice above s d be censured and 
judged erroneous or corrupt in principle or practice, in life and conversa- 
tion, and so by sentence of s d church be cut off from society and fellowship 
of y e same, that any and every person or persons so offending shall forever 
lose his or their claim to any part of y e said land or house. 

4. We do hereby oblige ourselves and successors forever, to make and 
maintain all y e fence y' y e above named James Clarke was obliged to make 
and maintain about s d meeting house lands as may appear by y e two deeds 
thereof from Major Nath 1 Coddington to y e above s d James Clarke. In wit- 
ness whereof and for ratification of each and every of the said mentioned 



myself or heirs may at anytime pretend to by virtue of y e two deeds above mentioned 
I the s d James Clarke do hereby in consideration of ye above s d contribution-money ; give, 
grant in fee, and confirm both y« above s d deeds of land, together with all y e rights and 
privileges thereunto belonging, unto my brethren, Jeremiah Clarke, Daniel Wightman, 
John Odlin.John Greeniuan, James Brown, John Hammet, Jeremiah Weeden, Joseph 
Card, James Barker, William Rhodes, Stephen Weeden, William Grinman, Henry Clarke, 
John Rhodes, and their successors forever, to have and to hold said lands as they are butted 
and bounded with all y° rights and privileges thereunto belonging ; to y» proper use and 
behoof of all y e above named brethren, for y<> use above s d from him s d Clarke, his heirs, ex- 
ecutors, administrators, or assigns, forever, being freely and clearly acquitted and dis- 
charged from all manner of gifts, grants, thirds, jointers, or any incumbrance whatsoever 
by him s d Clarke done or made, or suffered to he made at any time before the insealing and 
delivery hereof and y* y e s d Clarke hath good right and lawful power in himself to make 
sale and good title as above s d . In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal 
this 23d day of January 1706-7. 

James Clarke. 

<mr-..™™„ (John Osband, 
Witnesses, j Elizabeth W i LLIAMS . 

" Personally appeared before me this 6th of Feb., 1706-7, James Clarke y° subscribei 
hereof and did own and acknowledge ye above written instrument to be his act and deed. 

Attested: John Rogers, Justice of Peace." 
John Comer, in Records of Second Baptist Church, Newport. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 105 

particulars, each and every purchaser and proper owner of s d lands have 
set to their hands and fixed their seals this 23rd day of January, 1706-7. 

James Clarke, Peleq Peckcom, 

Jeremiah Clarke, Henry Clarke, 

Daniel "Wightmann, Joseph Weeden, 

John Odlin, Timothy Peckcom, 

James Barker, John Kiiodes, 

Jeremiah Weeden, James Brown, 

Joseph Card, John Hammett, 

John Greenman, William Khodes. 
Stephen Hoockey, 
Before us witnesses 

William Dyre, 

Job Bennett. 



saturd., This day I wrote Christian Musto's will. 

May 2. 
Tuesd., 5. 



This day I visited my friends at Swanzey. 



This day Sarah Andross was Baptized by Mr. 
Thirsd., 7. Ephraim Wheaton. I attended ye meeting at 

Swanzey. 
saturd., 9. Returned home well. I and my wife were sworn 
at ye Ferry by G. Thomas, y* we had not been to 
Boston in seven days. Note, he is set there by ye authority on ye 
account of y e small pox. 

This day preached in course. Mr. Staples sent a 
"' ' note to Mr. Wightman, as underwritten ; ye reason 
was because y e young man laid his death to his charge for he had 
beat and abused him sadly. 

jIr. Wightman, 

Sir : It is my desire you will appear at y e opening of y e body of Jona- 
than Lock, this day deceased, and there to put up your prayers to Al- 
mighty God to give y e jurors a true sight of y e case, and y* they may he 
directed by y e Divine Spirit to make a true report of y e cause of his death. 
So prays your petitioner, 

Thomas Staples. 

The jurors are warned at one of ye clock. The jury upon search 
cleared Mr. Staples and brought in yt he died a natural death. 

This day I wrote a letter to Mr. Andrew Gifford, 179 

Tuesd. is. Baptist m i u i s ter in Bristol in Old England, by Mr. 
Caleb Blenman ; y e first [second?] of Croscombe in Somersetshire. 

179 Andrew Gifford was born in Bristol England, August 17, 1700 ; educated at the Bris- 
tol Academy. At about the age of twenty-four became assistant pastor in Nottingham; 
afterwards for two years held the same relation to the Kev. Bernard Foskett, of Bristol. 



106 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

This day the town was mightily alarmed by ye 
Fryd,, 22. ^g^^ f a stranger at y e house of Mays Nichols, tav- 
ern-keeper, who had been drooping several days ; but it appeared 
to those y* inspected the body to be y e small pox of w h he died. 
By order of authority he was w th - utmost despatch buried. It 
isn't known who he is, or certainly whence he came. His com- 
panion is fled out of town to avoid examination, as is probable. 
The man came last Friday. Lord fit y e town for ye visitation of 
ye small pox. 

A few epitaphs which I took off of some graves in the common 
burying place at Newport on Rhode Island. 

On Mr. Simeon Parrett, who died May 23, ,1718, aged 84 years. 

Here doth Simeon Parrett lye, 
"Whose wrongs did for vengeance cry, 

But none could have ; 

And now y e grave 
Keeps him from injury. 

On Mrs. Abigail Wanton, who died May 12, 1726, aged 28 
years. 

If tears alas could speak a husband's wo, 

My verse would straight in plentiful numbers flow; 

Or if so great a loss deplored in vain 

Could solace so my throbing heart from pain 

Then could I O sad consolation chuse 

To soothe my careless grief a private muse ; 

But since thy well known piety demands 

A public monument at thy George's hands, 

O Abigail, I dedicate this tomb to thee, 

Thou dearest half of poor forsaken me. 

On Mr. Will* Sanford, A. M., who died Apr. 24, 1721, aged 31 
years. 

Here lyeth dust that as we trust 

United is to Christ, 
Who will it raise, the Lord to praise 

Joined to a soul now blest ; 

February 5, 1729, he became pastor of the church in Little Wild street, London ; became 
celebrated for his exact and extensive knowledge of ancient manuscripts; in 1757 ap- 
pointed assistant librarian of the British Museum, though still continuing to discharge the 
duties of his pastorship ; he died June 19, 1784. Dr. Gilford's " collection of rare coins was 
the most valuable in Great Britain ; it attracted the attention of George II., who purchased 
it for his own cabinet." — Cathcart, Bap. Ency. 



THE DIAEY OF JOHN COMER. 107 

With holy ones, placed on bright thrones, 

Crowned with eternal joys, 
In heaven to sing, to God our King, 

Their thankful songs always. 

On Mr. John Rogers, who died August ye lltn, 1727, ag. 59, 
wanting 15 d. 

In his Kedeemer's arms he fell asleep, 
Having committed all for him to keep, 
Until y e resurrection morn be come, 
"When all y e saints shall fully be brought home 
"With saints and angels to eternity 

On Mr. Sami Cranston, Esq, Gov of y e Colony, who died Apr. 
ye 26, 1727, aged 68. 

Kest happie now brave Patriot without end, 
Thy Country's father, and thy Country's friend. 

Jn<> Solomon died May, 1676. 
Mr. Willm Hiscox, May 24, 1704, ag. 66. 

Mr. Will m Gibson, March 12, 1717. The two last ministers of 
ye 7th Day church, in Newport. 

This day news came over from Block Island of [a] 
Fryd., 22. mog ^ unaccountable piece of wickedness, almost un- 
paralelled, viz : A negro man belonging to Capt. Simon Ray of 
Block Island being in Newport, in ye heart of y e town, a man 
being an utter stranger to y e s d negro gave him a letter and 
charged him to give it to his master himself, which accordingly 
he did ; and upon his opening it it was a blank, with sundry 
scabs (as is supposed,) taken from some person sick of y e small 
pox. In surprise he threw it on y e floor immediately, and ye 
maid of y e house took it up and burnt it. O w* wickedness is 
lodged in ye heart of man. Strict inquiry has been made to find 
him out, but to no purpose. 'Twas within a week y* ye letter 
was sent. 

This day preached in course. Mr. Valentine 
•■ • Wightman preached P. M. I wrote a letter to Mr. 
George Ecclesfield, Baptist minister at Middletown. 

This evening Ephraim Broderick having been out 
, s. Q^ouf; 9 Q f ye clock, came in, fell into a fit, and fell 
out of his chair, and in about two hours died so. 



108 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMEE. 

This day Mrs. Nichols was removed to Coaster's 
j^'e,' Harbor, for y e small pox broke out on her. 

This day Mr. Sam 1 Maxwell stopt ye church and 
Lord's d., 7. read a p aper to ym in wh he signified his intent to lay 

aside preaching wholly, and yt he was much in scruple about In- 
fant Baptism. Lord keep those whom I baptized sound in ye 
faith. 

This day died Mrs. Nichols' Indian woman, at 
wednesd., io. Q oas t er >s Harbor, who was carried there on Lord's 
Day morning with ye small pox. It did not come out well. So 
ye two first y t had it died. Lord make it awakening to y e inhab- 
itants. 

This day visited Mr. Clap. He informed me of a 
Thirsd., 11. fag j. ^ r ^ams' p e0 pi e had yt day week, and yt 

they had sent to some ordained ministers to come and help in ye 
work of y e day ; but they refused because they were not clear in 
ye management of Mr. Adams' dismission, and to some young 
ministers, who declined because they had heard they intended to 
try six or eight before a choice, and so declined to stand on ye 
stool of approbation at Newport ; nevertheless two young minis- 
ters from ye Massachusetts, and one from Long Island came and 
carried on the day of fasting by prayer and preaching. Their 
names were Mr. Cleaverly, Mr. Pearce, Mr. Searing. 

So Mr. Clap upon y e refusal of y e ordained ministers, and ye 
declining of y e young ones, remarked this witty remark on ye 
people from ye names of y e young ministers. That they were 
Cleaverly Pecrc'd and Seared. 

This day also I went to discourse w * Mr. Maxwell about Bap- 
tism and so in faithfulness to discharge myself. 

This day Mr. Crandall preached to my people, be- 

Lord-s d. ( 14. - n g destitute by reason of Mr. Maxwell's declaring ye 
Sabbath before for Infant Baptism, or at least his scruples 
about it. 

This day after public service was over in ye town, 

Lord's d., 2i. Qne g amuel penno a printer, lately from Boston, a 
young man, gathered a number of loose people together at ye 
house of Jn° Pearce and attempted to [do] something by way of 
preaching from Sol. Song 4 : 7, and sang ye 100 psalm and ye 108 
psalm, ye auditory consisting of about a score. Ye principal persons 
were Mr. Sam 1 Pike, Mr. Brown, Mr. Hawkins, Mr. Johnson, 
Mr. Martendil &c. Set these aside and there aren't such a num- 
ber of yt sort in ye town. Oh profane act, and highly to be disap- 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 109 

proved of by all y* wish well to y e interest of Religion. I have 
done w* lay in my power to suppress it and have brought him to 
promise to do so no more. 

This day Mr. Crandall being sick Mr. N. Eyres of 
saturd., 27. -^ ew York preached in my old meeting house to his 
congregation, and in y e P. M. I began ye meeting w th prayer. I 
have not been in y* pulpit this eighteen months before. 

Oh, yt I may be more and more of a forgiving frame of spirit to 
y m who have grievously injured me. I am afraid I don't forgive 
y m as I should from my heart, because I can't bear to speak of 
their actions without a commotion in my own breast. 

Lord help me to forgive y m as I expect God for Christ's sake 
should forgive me. 

I found going into y e house affected me and brought things into 
my mind. I wish it were not so. I think I don't indulge such 
things. Oh yt I may love y m and forgive and pray more for them. 

This evening died Freelove Carr, daughter of Capt. 
Lord s ., . p e j e g Q a rr, about half after ten. She was an amazing 
instance of sovereign grace and in ye time of her sickness God 
seemed to ripen herforglory in a wonderful manner. Shegavegood 
ground to survivors of her good estate, and with great earnestness 
of soul she recited to me the twenty -seventh psalm fourth verse. 

She was buried on Tuesday following from ye meet- 
ing house. Mr. Eyres preached. The 7th day meet- 
ing house raised that day. 

This day Mrs. Claggett was buried from ye meet- 

Thirsd 2 

ing house. I preached her funeral [sermon] from 
Job 19 : 25 according to her own request of me. 

This day cousin Sam 1 Rogers visited me in deep 
Fryd., 3. (jjgfoggg about his soul. 

This day I was twice sent for to Uncle Rogers' to 
a ^ " see Sami. Extremely low about his soul, almost to 
despair. Preached all day to y e 7 th day church upon request, Mr. 
Crandall sick. 

This day preached all day alone, Mr. Wightman 
" at Providence. Sent for after meeting to Uncle 
Rogers'. "Watched there y* night. Lord grant to him under his 
distress of soul some divine support, ye light of thy reconciled 
countenance thro Jesus Christ. 
This day Mr. J. C. was D. [Meaning unknown.'] 
This day four persons were baptized by Mr. Wightman at Prov- 
idence. 

K 



110 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 



This day ten persons were Baptized by Mr. Wight- 
" ' man at Providence. 
May the Lord influence each of them by his Holy Spirit, and 
give y m grace to persevere in his ways, and help y m to adorn the 
doctrine of God our Saviour in all things. 



Thirsd., 9. 
Saturd., 11. 
Mond., 13. 

Tuesd.,14. 



Saturd., 18. 



Lord's D., 19. 



Fryd., 24. 



This day preached ; Mr. W. absent. 
This day preached to y e 7 th day congregation. 
Went over to an entertainment at Conanicut. 
This day went to see Edward Smith being upon 
his sick (and I am apt to conclude his death bed) ; I 
had no discourse with him as I desired by reason of his being in 
a kind of lethargy. 

Will the Lord give me a truly forgiving frame of spirit as I 
hope God for Christ's sake will forgive me. 

This day preached both parts for Mr. Crandall, [he] 
continuing sick. 
Preached in course. 

This evening an insurrection was made or a mob 
was raised in the town, occasioned by some young 
men being put into gaol y e day before for siding and being en- 
gaged about a quarrel raised a few evenings before between Au- 
gustus Lucas and Coggeshall ; y e one calling himself of ye 

gentleman's party and y e other being lookt upon not so. About 
twilight the mob began to pull down ye prison fence, so yt [at] 
candle light an alarm was beat and men in arms, together w th 
some of ye authority with drawn swords and other weapons, 
watched ye prison, for it was threatened to be pulled down yt 
night. There was no hurt done in y e insurrection but to one 
man, Mr. Bassee was knockt down for dead by Richard Durfee 
w th ye back of a cutlass. 

The next day ye men came under bond, and so came out of 
prison. 

This day I wrote a letter to Mr. Nathi Jenkins, min- 
ister of Cohansey, and Deacon Job Shepherd of ye 
same place. 

This day Jn — r [name illegible] upon acknowledg- 
ment was received to his place in y e church of 



August, 
"Wednesd., 5. 



Thirsd., 6. 



Swanzey. 



Lord's D., 30. 



Thlisd., 
Sept. 17. 



This day I preached at Freetown by request, a 
large auditory. Returned home well, blessed be God. 

This day [my] former people met at ye meeting 
house to consult about getting a minister, since Mr. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. Ill 

Jeremiah Condy did not come at the time they expected, and 
concluded to tarry one week longer. 

This day Edward Smith died. 180 Lord help me as 
Fryd., is. j ] 10 p e q 0( [ f or Christ's sake will forgive me. 

This day Mr. Condy 181 came to town to preach to 
sat., 19. m y |-f ormer -] people by request. 

This day Mr. Smith was buried. I was there and 
Lord's d., 20. a |.f- eiK i e( j afternoon exercise in town. Mr. Condy 
preached to my [former] people. This is the first time they have 
met in y e meeting house since the 14th of June last. So that it is 
three months and six days since there was any preaching on ye 
Lord's Day. 

This clay died Mr. Edward Pelham 182 sen 1- . A 
' witty man and a great scholar, but alas too light in 
his conversation. 

This day I went over to North Kingstown, to see 

Oct* 6.' Mr. Paul Palmer, the minister of North Carolina, 

who was come into y e country to visit y e churches 

and was returning home by land without coming over to y e 

180 Edward Smith, with whom and Samuel Maxwell Mr. Comer's prolonged difficulties 
seem to have arisen, was a man of decided convictions, and when in the wrong, uncom- 
fortable to get along with. It is by his care, however, that several important items of 
history have been preserved to us. 

181 Jeremiah Condy was born in 1609; graduated from Harvard College in 1726; after 
preaching awhile in different places he went to England, whence he was summoned to be- 
come pastor of the First Baptist Church in Boston, to which office he was ordained Febru- 
ary 14, 1739 ; the ordination sermon was preached by his friend, the Rev. John Callender, 
ol Newport, which was afterward published at the request of the church. Mr. Condy 
became an associate member of a society found in Newport to debate questions " in divin- 
ity, morality, philosophy, history," etc. Having served the church in Boston as pastor for 
twenty-five years, he resigned the office in 1764, but continued to reside in that city till 
Lis death, August 9, 1768. He was a man " of liberal views, and of an inquisitive and lit- 
erary taste." Backus speaks of him as "a gentleman of superior powers and learning." 
Mr. Condy had a son Jeremiah, who was in the book business in Boston, and who pub- 
lished a volume of Dr. Mayhew's sermons in 1755. 

iss Edward Pelbam was the son of Herhert, who came with his family from Lincolnshire, 
England, about the year 1639 or 1610, and who became the first treasurer of Harvard Col- 
lege, holding the office from 1643 to 1650. He was a man of large wealth, holding landed 
property in both the old and the new world. The son, Edward, was graduated from Har- 
vard in 1573, where he seems to have been a somewhat insubordinate youth ; was living 
in Boston in 1676, where he gave a power of attorney to Samuel Goffe, on the 6th of May 
of that year ; was admitted a freeman at Newport, May 6, 1684 ; deeded May 28, 1684, 
twenty-two days after becoming a freeman of Rhode Island, one hundred and twenty 
acres of land in Cambridge to his alma mater ; was in 1690 a captain of a Newport military 
company; never engaged in any business, but lived on his inheritance, and died September 
20, 1730. Married in 1693, Freelove, daughter of Benedict Arnold. He had had a wife before. 
"God's Gift," who may have been another daughter of Arnold — as Arnold had another 
daughter. 



112 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 



Island by reason of an Act of Assembly prohibiting all from Bos- 
ton except they lay four days currenteen [quarantine] by reason 
of the small pox being there. He is a man of parts and worthy. 
Returned home well from Narragansett ; I praise 
we d nesd..7. the holy name of God. 
Thirsd., s. : Visited Mr. Condy [he] being sick. . 

This evening between six and seven of the clock 
came on the most terrifying awful and amazing 
Northern light as ever was beheld in New England as I can 
learn. There was at the bottom of the horizon a very great 
brightness and over it an amazing red bow extending from North 
to East like a dreadful fire and many fiery spears, and the East 
was wonderfully lighted and some part of the appearance con- 
tinued many hours and people were extremely terrified. 

Words can't express ye awfulness of it. W fc God is about [to do] 
is only known to himself. 

This night between twelve and one of y e clock a fire 
e °^ ■'. broke out at Capt. Malbone's wharf in a cooper shop 
and prevailed till it had destroyed five or six ware- 
houses and workhouses and one dwelling house and caught an- 
other ; but thro God's wonderful mercy there were no lives lost, 
and beyond expectation it was prevented from spreading thro the 
town. 

This day I preached at Freetown, a large auditory. 
Lord sd., 8. ^ a y q 0( j D i ess f] ie journey for the good of precious 

souls. 
About this time I heard of this sad and terrible story. One 

Barter, in Boston, (who in time past I knew well), who was 

a member of y e New North [Congregational] Church in Boston, 
under Mr. Thatcher and Mr. Webb's care, who had lately fallen 
into y e prevailing sin of drunkenness ; he was improved by ye 
church to take care of y e meeting house and to ring ye bell, hav- 
ing once been suspended communion for said sin, but upon ac- 
knowledgment and repentance was restored to his place. About a 
month ago y e deacons of said church having set y e sacramental 
vessels on ye table in ye meeting house for communion, between 
ye ringing of y e 1 st and 2* bell, before y e congregation came to- 
gether he went to y e vessels and drank so excessively y* he with 
difficulty got into y e belfry, but was incapacitated upon y e opera- 
tion of y e drink to perform his office, and lay there dead drunk all 
sermon and sacrament time. Ye church ye next day call'd a 
meeting and suspended and admonished him and put him 



THE DIARY OF JOHX COMER. 113 



out of his office. Oh, terrible and almost unheard-of wicked 
action. 18 ' 2 ^ 

This day I wrote a letter to Mr. Jenkins minister 
" ' at Cohansey, Mr. Eyres minister at New York, and 
Mr. Davis minister at Trent-town [Trenton] in the Jersies, and 
Mr. Symmonds minister at South Carolina. 

Heard yt Mr. Henry Loveall 183 was ordained about a month 
ago by Mr. Palmer minister of North Carolina and Mr. Drake 
minister at Piscataqua in East New Jersey, colleague with Mr. 
Drake. 

The Lord furnish him w tb - ministerial gifts and graces and 
make him an able minister of y e New Testament. 

This day Mr. Jeremiah Condy came again to 

a ur " ' preach to my [former] people by request and to tarry 
all winter; it may be, if y e Lord will. 

I want to see in myself more of a forgiving spirit to them thar 
I am afraid I have now. 

Lord help me to forgive them ; I long to forgive y m heartily. 
Oh w t a spirit have 1, too irreconcilable. 

This day I received a bequeath of forty shillings 

„ ' r \ ' from Mr. Daniel Fortinue, which his wife Mrs. Elizth 

Decemb.-3. ' 

Fortinue desired him to give me to remember her 
by as a token of love. She died Nov. y e 2 d before. 

From ye Gazette, number 572, Nov.* 30, 1730, there is thi 
admirable relation from London, Sept. 4th, 1730. They write 
from Cambridge that Dr. Gieen, of Clare Hall in y* university, 
and author of the Greeman[?] Philosophy, who lately died there, 
has made ye Master with three Fellows of Clare Hall, Dr. Bentley 
w th three other heads of colleges his Executors, and has bequeathed 
all his estate to the amount of £2,000 to Clare Hall on y e follow 
ing conditions : 

1. They are to publish all his posthumous works; 

2. They are to get his body anatomized and to hang his skele- 
ton at y e head of a class of books which he had presented to ye 
Hall Library just before he died ; he has also ordered monument? 

182^ [Unquestionably the wine used at the communion in those days was genuine wine. 
There was no thought of change suggested even by such an infamous abuse as that here 
related by Comer ; any more than there was, in the mind of Paul, in the case mentioned 
in 1 Cor. 11 : 20-34. There was no substitution of something else, like that which in our 
day, in certain churches, has in the judgment of many, effected a mutilation of the ordi- 
nance.— J. W. W.] 

183 [Henry Loveall appears to have been an unworthy man — perhaps a *■ wolf in sheep's 
clothing."— See Comer's Diary, pages Ilk 117, US.— 3. W. W.] 



114 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

to be erected in five several places with long epitaphs he has left 
inserted on each of y m . And in case those of Clare Hall do not 
execute this his will, his effects are to go to St. Ju d ' s College ; and 
if they refuse, to any other of the respective colleges yt will 
undertake its full execution. By ye Journal we learn yt Clare 
Hall refuses to do it. 

This day received from my dear Brother the Bev d 

" ' Mr. Nath 1 Jenkins two letters to my great satisfaction. 

This day I wrote a letter to Mr. Andrew Gifford, 

Fryd., 25. g a p^j s ^ minister in Bristol in Old England, and Mr. 
Joseph Stennett, Baptist minister in Exeter, Old England ; the 2 d 
to each. I informed y m according to my best knowledge y* there 
were 26 Baptist churches in America under their several divi- 
sions, and about 2,110 communicants, reckoning from North Caro- 
lina to Boston. 

I tremble with y e sad news this day I received 
wednesd., so. frQm Mr Nicholas Eyres, of New York, dated Nov 
ye 26, concerning Mr. Henry Loveall, alias Desolate Baker, i. e. 
yt he served his time on Long Island when he came first from 
England w th Dauiel Sears, ... y* he ran away from his master, 
changed his name, and now lives with another man's wife in 
adultery. This awful report was made known about a fortnight 
after his ordination. 

I can't say he can in my judgment be ever accepted as a minis- 
ter, especially when I call to mind 1 Timothy 3 : 7. 

Glorious God I beseech thee give divine direction to thy ser- 
vants in the ministry and to y e church among whom so woful a 
difficulty hath happened, what to do in this affair so as thy holy 
name may not be blasphemed and thy cause suffer. Direct by 
thy spirit and grace, and give true and sound repentance unto 
him who has so fallen by his ingenuity in ye days of his vanity. 
Make him a true gospel penitent for Christ's sake. 

Thus I end ye year 1730. It has been a year in which I have 
eyed the divine goodness of my gracious God to me and mine, in 
providing for me on all accounts, for which all possible praise be 
rendered to his holy name. 

I have been preserved from sickness this year. I have had a 
competency of the good things of this life. I have been sensibly 
supported by divine promises as to my inward man. 

There have happened this year: One found dead in her bed. 
The northern light hath appeared this year four times, but the 
most awful October 22. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 115 

An exact account of what I owe in the world this first day of 
January, 1731. John Comer. 

£ s. d. 

To the Colony 50 

ToMr. Odlin 50 

To sister Elizth Barker 40 

To mother Rogers 40 

To Mrs. Sarah Collins 20 

To Madam Cranston 20 

To Arnold Collins 20 

To sundry debts to etc 40 

Total 280 

So that I have gained this year 11 

Fryd. This day I begin a new year. Lord grant me new 

January i, strength to work for thee. 

This year if God grant opportunity I purpose to go 
a journey into the Jersies. May God's name be glorified and 
souls edified by it ; and will God protect and prosper me and re- 
turn me, and I'll glorifie his name. May God order in his holy 
providence things comfortable for me and protect and preserve 
my family in my absence. I commit all to God with my whole 
heart now this moment yt I am penning it. Amen. 

M m Mr. Jeremiah Condy was chosen to office by my 

Mond., 11. - i j , , 

lormer people, tho some were very much dissatisfied 
in ye choice. Whether he will accept ye call I know not. I pray 
God to direct him. 'Tis dark to me. 

Mond 25 This day 1 went to Swanze y and sa w Mr. Elisha 
Callender, of Boston, and discoursed to my satisfac- 
tion. Snowy weather. This day was church meeting at Swan- 
zey. In order to accommodate matters about Mr. Jn<> Callender, 
in ye church by a major vote he was admitted to preach again. 
Tuesa 26 Went over to Providence. Extremely cold. Tarried 
at Providence till Friday P. M. Returned yn to 
Swanzey, and on Saturday evening got safe home. I bless ye 
Lord for his protection and preservation of me. I had comfort 
in some dear friends'- conversation. I praise ye Lord for every 
comfort of yt nature. 

Tuesd., Taken from my Journal yt I kept while on my 

March la. J° urne y to Philadelphia. This day set out by water 

to New York with Mr. Richard Robinson. A snowy 



110 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

time, y e wind at N. E. in ye P. M. Becalmed. Lay to near 
Watch Point all night. A rolling sea. 

About break of day hoisted sail, wind hard at N. 

Wednesd., 17. N> w Grea< . gea ^^ Watch p i n t, like to h ave 

been lost on y e rocks. Got into Stoningtown harbor about one 
P. M. Lodged at Mr. Greenman's. Praised be ye name of y e 
Lord. 

Went aboard in ye morning, hoisted anchor about 
Thirsd.is. 9 A M ? wind N> w Got t0 N> LoiK iou about 3 

P. M. 

Remained at New London, wind contrary. Went 

to visit Mr. Gorton, got to town at night, dark and 

rainy. 

Called up about day dawn. Wind at N. N. W. 

" - Pleasant morning. Set sail at 6 A. M. ; about 12 

touched on Seabrook bar ; about 2 P. M. anchored at Southhold 

harbour, by ye oyster ponds on Long Island. Went ashore and 

tarried till 7, and about 11 at night hoisted anchor and set sail; 

wind extremely hard, but God preserved. 

Becalmed till 1 P. M. At night dropt anchor in y e 
Sound against Fairfield. A rolling sea. 
This morning about 4 weighed anchor, wind at N. 

Mond 22 i 

E., rainy, shifted about 9 to S. W., exceeding hard, 
great sea. About one anchored at White Stone, y e tide not suit- 
ing to go thro Hell gate. This day we were in great danger by 
many squalls. Lodged ashore at Mr. Lawrence's comfortably. 

About day dawn went aboard. About 8 went thro 
Tuesd.,23. Hell gate> About 10 A M arrived safe at New 

York. Thus God has preserved me and I now offer y e praise to 
him. Waited on Rev d Nicholas Eyres. Saw Mr. Jn° Campbell 
my fortner acquaintance, kindly treated, took a view of y e city. 
Went to see ye new Dutch church w h is very beautiful, a stone 
building. It is curiously wrought, being 100 feet in length, and 
70 in breadth, having in it 150 pews, and no pillars to support y e 
roof w h is finely arched, having two doors opposite to the pulpit ; 
over each in a fine white stone of about a foot and a half square 
are these two Scripture epithets at large, Ps. 28 : 8; Isa. 56 : 7. 
The [steps?] up to ye belfry are 113, 16 windings. Lodged at 
Mr. Eyres'. Cost me a double bitt. 

Remained at York. Mr. Stephens went with me 

" ' to see the Fort, which is a strong one. Saw y e 

chapel, ye organs, the Governour's Library, the garden, where I 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 117 

saw peach trees in ye blossom and many delightful varieties. 
Cost me two bitts. 

This evening about 9 the boat presented to go down 
Thirsd., 25. to Mi^dleton, thirty miles. I went. Anchored at 
Middleton about two in ye morning. Breakfasted at Mr. Wat- 
son's. 

Got a horse free to Deacon Mott's, 5 m. Got to his house about 
nine, kindly treated. Lodged at Mr. Holmes' with ye Bev d . Mr. 
George Ecclesfield, y e minister of y e town. 184 

Preached at Middleton in East New Jersie, from 
Fryd.,26. l Cq ^ £ . ^ About 10 o auditors. Lodged at Mr. 

Mott's. 
Bainy. Deacon Moot [Mott] and Mr. Campbell 
a " ' went with me to Piscataqua. Very uncomfortable, 
got there about dark to Deacon Still's. Lodged there. 22 m. 

Preached at Piscataqua 185 by Mr. Henry Loveall's 
" ' request (who is the minister) from Gal. 6 : 15, having 
before meeting waited on Elder Drake and Elder Dunham. 
Note. This church is in utmost confusion on ye account of some 
evil actions of Mr. Loveall, done before his profession, but lately 
heard of by y m . A meeting appointed next Friday at 10 of y e 
clock. Lord overrule all for thy own glory. 

Had of Elder Jn° Drake the following letter sent to y e church 
by the Bev d . Mr. Nat 1 Jenkins minister at Cohansey. 

Cohansey, Decemb r y e 26 th , 1730. 

To the Honoured Jn° Drake, Elder, to the Deacons and y e whole church 
at Piscataqua owners [owning?] Believers' Baptism, Greeting. 

Dearly beloved friends for whom I have great esteem and regard, I wish 
you all grace and peace thro Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Brethren, I am in a straight what or how to write to you. Your presump- 
tuous precipitation in all your proceedings have given me ground to fear y* 
you are fallen from y e grace of the gospel. You askt my advice and others. 
"We gave it and would have you prove and try your man before you would 

18 * This town is in Monmouth county two of the patentees of which were Obadiah and 
Jonathan Holmes, sons of the famous Obadiah Holmes, of Rhode Island. The date 
assigned to the church is 168S. We are told that " this is the oldest ehurch in the State" 
of New Jersey. Ecclesfield, the name of the minister is sometimes spelled Eaglesfield. It 
was, of course, a Baptist church. 

!85 A large tract of country east of the Raritan river was purchased of the Indians in 
1663, and at one part of it called Piscataway. A church was formed in 16S9, " which is the 
next to Middletown in point of seniority." In this church Henry Loveall was ordained to 
assist the Rev. John Drake, but he " never administered ordinances ; for the vileness of his 
character was soon discovered." — Benedict, Hist., I., 567. 



118 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

close with him as your minister; but you neither minded my advice nor y l 
of our Association, but as persons infatuated you have rushed on without 
rule or precedent to ordain a man for y e ministry y' is hardly tit to be a com- 
mon or private member. How is it you did not read their qualifications 
1 Tim. 3 : 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. Not a novice &c. And he must have a good re- 
port of y m y l are without. Is it a good report y l he committed uncleanness? 
[Certain particulars omitted.] And is it a good report that now his last 
spouse should be another man's wife? [Certain particulars omitted.] 
Is it a good report y' he was and yet is an impudent liar ? And could 
you be so childish as to be satisfied with a bare confession, and as soon 
as he had confessed to jump into the pulpit to teach you y l were never 
guilty of half his crimes? What is this but as if a criminal would confess 
his villainy at the bar and as soon as he had done to jump to the bench to 
give judgment. Oh monstrous! How could you join with such an one with- 
out more y n ordinary humiliation as a common brother 1 Could any of you 
think of y l place 1 Tim. 5 : 22, 24, 25 lay hands suddenly on [no] man &c. 
What right had Paul Palmer to be employed by you in that work ? Were 
there no ministers belonging to your own Association ? Only you were 
afraid you should not be suffered to dance about your calf. But, my dear 
Brethren, consider the dreadful day of the Lord is coming, and all the 
churches shall know that he knows their hearts and thoughts. Consider y' 
reproach you brought on your profession hereby. I am ashamed of it. I 
could have told you — [The letter closes thus abruptly.] 

This day I returned home from visiting the 
churches. Thanks and praise to God's holy name 
for Divine preservation. 

This day my second daughter, Mary, was born, on 
xme ' Tuesday night about 11 of y e clock. Lord I give it 
up to thee to thy guidance and government of thy blessed Spirit. 
On Monday I and my former people met in the meet- 
ing house and accommodated our old difference. ,85M 

185>6 This reconciliation between Mr. Comer and the church was two years after his dis- 
mission. The Church Records give an account of a meeting June 28, 1731, " gathered at the 
request of Mr. Comer, and by consent of our Elder, William Packcom." " After some dis- 
course with Mr. Comer concerning the difference that has been a long time between him 
and the church, Mr. Comer being sensible of his mistakes desired forgiveness, and in par- 
ticular his timing of that discourse concerning laying on of hands, and in a sermon which 
he afterwards preached, which was very offensive to the church, charging them with such 
crimes as they were no ways sensible they were ever guilty of, which he desired might be 
overlookt. And it was agreed that all papers that were written on both sides relating to 
the difference, might be produced and burnt, which was accordingly done ; and the meet- 
ing finished in love and peace, with prayer by Mr. Comer." Herein Mr. Comer shows his 
truly Christian spirit. He was about to leave Newport for another field of labor, and could 
not depart until a reconciliation had been effected ; and he evidently went as far as he 
consistently could in making concessions to secure the end he sought, but sacrificing no 
conviction or principle. 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 119 

This clay I desired a dismission from ye church 

juiy s. where I had preached for more y n two years, because 

I was never settled there and found y* some could 

not bear my preaching ye doctrines of grace, they being a Gen 1 

church, — which I obtained. 

This day by a letter from Rehoboth I was invited 
there to preach, which invitation I complied with. 
This day I am 27 years of age. Lord grant me 
°^ s a " grace to serve thee this year also to the glory of thy 
holy name. 
This day I removed my family to Rehoboth in the 
" ' Massachusetts Province. Got safe there, blessed be 
God. 
The last of this month the steeple of the church at N. port was 
set on fire with lightning, and a quarter of the spire was forced 
to be cut down to prevent the whole building from being con- 
sumed. 

And about y e same time, in Boston, one Capt. Sam, an Indian 
sachem, was killed by his horse throwing him and breaking his 
neck in ye street. 

Tuesd., This evening about 7 appeared an awful Northern 

sept.,20. Light with some bright streamers in it. 

This day Mr. Jno. Callender 186 was ordained over 
oct. is. ' m y former flock at Newport, on Rhode Island. Mr. 
Elisha Callender, of Boston, and Mr. Sanii Maxwell 
performed the service. 

This day I preached at N. port in ye 7th day con- 
" ' gregation. 

This day I bought a house of Mr. Jonathan Norton 
' in Rehoboth, and the deed was signed. I am to give 
him 90 pounds within three years. 

186 The pastoral service thus entered upon, which was to prove so important to the 
church, was destined to continue until the death of Mr. Callender, which occurred Janu- 
ary 26, 1748. Mr. Callender took a deep interest in the public schools of Newport; was a 
member of the philosophical society which was afterwards developed into the Redwood 
Library and Athenaeum; preached several sermons that were published: one to young 
men, one at the funeral of the Rev. Nathaniel Clap, one at the ordination of the Rev. Jere- 
miah Condy ; but the one most celebrated was a historical discourse delivered in 1738, the 
ci.-ntennial anniversary of the settlement of Rhode Island ; it was the first history of the 
State ever written, and to it subsequent writers have been greatly indebted. The Rhode 
Island Historical Society republished the discourse in 183S, and prefixed to it a memoir of 
the author prepared by the Rev. Romeo Elton, D. D. While residing in Swanzey, just be- 
fore his ordination at Newport, Mr. Callender, on the 15th of February, 1730, married Eliza- 
beth Hardin of the former place, by whom he had six children. See also note 70. 



120 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

Mond., This day a Baptist meeting house was raised in 



Novr. 15. 



Rehoboth. 



1732. This day I begin a new year in a new place, tho 

janulr 11 ^' not in a new employment ; for my delight of soul is in 
serving my dear Redeemer in the sacred service of 
the ministry which I prefer and esteem above and beyond every- 
thing else (tho I acknowledge unfit, unworthy in myself). Lord 
who is sufficient for these things ? Sufficiency is alone of God, on 
him I rest and rely continually. Lord grant me this year new 
supplies of thy Spirit ; and as I now [have] a new year I entreat 
I may find my desires renewed to glorify and serve thee. 

This day Mr. Jn° Luther's house was burnt down 

; Lord's D., 16. abQut n of y(J dock A ^ in g wanzey# 

This day a Baptist church was gathered in Reho- 
Thirsd., 2 °' both, and I was chosen to the pastoral office. 187 

187 While this church formed in Rehoboth was in its order " Six Principle," it was in its 
doctrine "Calvinistic"; it was modeled on the pattern of the churches in Philadelphia, 
• whence Mr. Comer had just returned from a visit, giving expression to his " great satisfac- 
tion in the sight beheld of the faith and order of those churches." [Namely, churches of 
the Philadelphia Bantist Association.— J. W. W.] The change of sentiments which occa- 
sioned the severance of his first pastoral relations in Newport, embraced nothingmore than 
the tenet " of imposition of hands " See the entry in the Diary under date July 3, 1731. 

[Here ends the work of annotation by the late lamented Dr. Barrows. It may be proper 
to add a few words to this, his last note. Mr. Comer appears to have severed his pastoral 
relation with the First Church, Newport, because he believed in and advocated " the im- 
position of hands on the newly baptized," they and he alike being " Calviuists." And 
later he severed his relations with the Second or" six principle" Church, because though he 
and they alike believed in and practiced "the imposition of hands," they were generally 
" Arminian" in sentiment, and he "Calvinistic." Hence his satisfaction expressed with 
the faith and order then existing in the Philadelphia Association— the oldest Association 
in America— is easily understood. The churches of that body held the " Calvinistic doc- 
trine" with great tenacity, and also practiced "the imposition of hands." This ancient 
custom has gone out of use, in the course of time, among American Baptists, except in a 
few churches. It has been superseded by the " right hand of fellowship," [or, "of wel- 
come"]. In a few churches the old practice is still retained. They do not make it a " term 
of communion," or a subjeot of contention with their brethren, but are unwilling to aban- 
don a rite whioh seems to them so scriptural and so significant of the gift of the Holy 
Spirit promised to the believer. With some of these, the "hand of fellowship" follows. 
Others consider this unnecessary, there being no scriptural authority for it, so far as 
newly baptized converts are concerned; while the "laying on of hands," accompanied by 
solemn prayer, seems to them far superior in meaning and impressiveness. The " imposi- 
tion" or "laying on of hands" is now practiced by the Second and the Roxborough Bap- 
tist churches of Philadelphia, and until recently also by the Lower Merion Baptist Church, 
in the vicinity of Philadelphia. It is retained in the Second Baptis', Church of Newport, 
which has now nothing else in common with the " Six Principle Baptists," but is in fellow- 
ship with the Regular Baptists of Rhode Island. Whether the practice is found now in 
any other regular Baptist churches in the Philadelphia Association or elsewhere in 
America, I cannot say. But if we may judge from the Philadelphia Confession of Faith, 
and from notices in this^diary and elsewhere, it was once a part of acknowledged order 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 121 



wednesd 26 This day I was Publicly installed pastor over ye 
Baptist church in Rehoboth, the Elders and Messen- 
gers of ye church of Swanzey assisted. Elder Ephraim Wheaton 
preached from 1 Thess. 5 : 12, 19, and gave me the right Uiandl of 
fellowship. 

Lord'a d This day I P reached at Newport for Mr. John Cal- 

Februaryi'a. tender in my old congregation, it being ye first time 
since we parted. 

Mona.14. This ni S ht about n of y e cl oek Mr. Hugh Cole, 
Jun., lost [by fire] his house and everything belong- 
ing to him in it save his family, who narrowly escaped (thro 
God's distinguishing goodness), some in part, and others not at 
all in clothes, in an extreme cold night in Swanzey. 

Tuesd is This da y for y° extremity of cold may deserve to 
be chronicled. 

Lord's d 20 This day about 1 R M - m ^ wife ' s mother Mrs. 
Sarah Rogers departed this life and I have ground 
to hope she died in ye Lord. 

Lord's d., This day A ' M - anoth er house was burnt in Swan- 
March 27. ze y • 

This day in the town of Rehoboth one Joshua 
Abel cut his own throat with a razor about sunrise. He had 
been ill in body some time. 

wednesd This day a rema rkable snow fell between two and 
Apriie " three feet dee P> the deepest we had this year. 

This day upon request I with three Brethren 

Fryd went on to ^^ gome Baptlzed persons at s u tton and 

June i6 Leicester. 

Lord's d is * Da P tize d at Sutton four persons, three men and one 

' woman, viz. Thomas Richardson, Daniel Dennee, 

Elisha Nevers, Martha Green. 

May i, 1733 I bein ^ now we ak in body [ ,88 ] think it not amiss to 
set down an account of my worldly affairs, how far I 



among regular American Baptists generally, and was by no means peculiar to the "Six 
I rinciple Baptists," whose sentiments were Arminian, and (as I suppose) are so still. I am 
free to say that I wish the ancient custom could be restored in all our Baptist churches — 
J W W.l 

i 88 [The date of this entry is about a year earlier than that of Mr. Comer's death. The 
weakness ot which he complains was probably from the effects of the disease which cut 
short his days " Rehoboth is a large town, extending from Taunton and Dighton to Prov- 
idence, ahout twelve m le« ; and in 1791, there were four thousand seven hundred and ten 
persons therein, and ten religious societies, which is more than we have in any other town 
Oi their numbers, in these parts. Cruel oppression on the one hand, and an abuse of 



122 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

lately went in clearing my debts when I sold my house to Mr. 
Isaac Peckcom in Newport, April ye 6 th , 1733, in which sale I 
met with y e most heavy loss of all, selling for just 100 pounds less 
than I was offered about three years before, y e times being dead and 
money scarce. However I brought my affairs into a less compass, 
viz. April ye 7 th , 1733 cleared ye 50 pound bond of Mr. Odlin. 

Cleared y e 50 pound bond of Capt. Peckcom' s to y e Colony. 

Cleared y e 20 pound bond of Mrs. Sarah Collins. 

Paid 18 pound[s] to Mr. Arnold Collins. 

Paid 10 pound[s] to Madam Cranston. 

A record of marriages performed by John Comer, pastor of the 
Baptist church in the town of Rehoboth, in the province of y e 
Massachusetts Bay in N. England. 

On Friday night, June ye 30th, 1732, Mr, John 

Davis of Haverhill was married to Mrs. Sarah 

Barney of Behoboth, certificates of their legal publication from 

under y e clerk's hand being produced. 10s. John Eaton, clerk 

of Haverhill, Ezek. Read, clerk of Behoboth. 

On Thursday evening, September ye 14 th , 1732, Mr. Jeremiah 
Ormsbee, Jr., and Mrs. Peirsee Millard, both of Behoboth, pro- 
duced a certificate of their legal publication were married by me. 
10s. Ezek. Bead, clerk of Behoboth. 

The above sent and recorded in ye Town Becord, Oct r y e 12 th , 
1732. 

On October ye 19th, 1732, Caleb Salsbury and Prudence West 
were married in Behoboth by me, upon producing legal certifi- 
cates. 5s. Hez 1 * Luther, clerk of Swanzey, Ezek. Bead, clerk of 
Behoboth. 

liberty on the other, have been the cause of it. Many had joined with the Baptists of 
Swanzey, from time to time, until Mr. John Comer came and assisted in forming a church 
in Rehoboth. . . . He was an excellent preacher of the gospel, and an eminent instrument 
of reviving doctrinal and practical religion in Newport, for six years belore he removed 
to Rehoboth, in August, 1731; and a Baptist church was formed there January 20, 17C2, 
and he became their pastor, and it increased to ninety-five members in less than two 
years. And in that time he went and labored in Sutton, Leicester, Middleborough, and 
other places. But he exerted his powers so much in this noble cause, that he fell into a 
Consumption, and died joyiully, May 23, 1734, before he was thirty years old. His son is now 
a member of the Baptist church in Warren [R. I.], and he lent me his father's diary and 
other writings, which have been very serviceable in our history." — Backus History, 
Weston's Edition, II., 436. Elsewhere Backus remarks of Comer's labors in Rehoboth 
" But how much did he do in a little time ! " (II., 31.) Fitting words wherewith to close 
what my beloved friend Dr. Barrows has written to elucidate and illustrate the Diary 
of John Comer.— J. W. W.l 



THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 123 



1732-33 ° n Februar y y e 224, 1732-33, Joseph Salsbury and 
Ehzth Hound were married by me in Jtehoboth, upon 
producing a legal certificate. 5s. Ezek. Read, clerk. 

1733 0n April y e 19th > 1733 > Eli J ah Horton and Mehitable 

Richman were married by me in Rehoboth, upon 
producing legal certificates. 5s. Ezek. Read, clerk. 

April ye 26th, 1733, Jabez Round and Renew Carpenter were 
married by me in Rehoboth, upon producing legal certificates. 

10s. 

May ye 17th, 1733, William Saben and Phebe Eddy were mar- 
ried by me in Rehoboth, upon producing a legal certificate. 10s. 

May ye 22d, 1733, Thomas Jollas and Mehitable Ormsbee were 
married by me in Rehoboth, upon producing legal certificates 
10s. 

June ye nth, 1733, Thomas Peck and Mary Kingsley were mar- 
ried by me in Rehoboth, upon producing legal certificates. 10s. 
The above entered on ye Town Records. 

Novr ye nth, 1733, Abijah Luther and Prudence Peck were 
married by me in Rehoboth. 6s. 

Decembr ye 20th, 1733, Benjn Hix and Ann Ormsbee were 
married by me in Rehoboth. 

1734. March ye 27th, 1734, Stephens Jennings and Mary 

Horton were married by me in Rehoboth. 

An extract out of Swanzey church book, page 227 : Sept. 2d, 
1725, Mr. John Comer was chosen to assist Elder Ephraim 
\v heaton in the work of the gospel ministry. 

The names of the committee chosen by the church to treat with 
him: 

John Easterbrook, 
Benj. Cole, 
John West, 
Hugh Cole, 
Ephraim Martin, 
Jonathan Kingsley, 
Richard Kardin. 



124 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

An account of such persons that have been Baptized by Mr. 
John Comer, in remote places from my habitation for the year 
1732. 

_ Su "°!^ Thomas Richardson, Daniel Dennee. 
Elijah Nevers, Martha Green. 



June 18, 1732. 



Leicester, Joshua Nichols, Abiathar Vinton. 
June 2o, 1732. Bathsheba Nevers, Lydia Vinton. 

Middleborough, 

July i7. Benjamin Booth. 
Barrington, Levi Luther, Eliz th Martin. 

July20, 1732. 

Nov. 3o, 1732. Jonathan Cole, Ebenezer Cole. 
Elizth Cole, Obadiah Bowen. 
The six last to join with ye church in Swanzey. 



SUPPLEMENTARY NOTE. 



Since the preparation of this work for the press, there has come into my 
hands a written sketch of Kev John. Comer, by Miss Annie E. Cole, dated 
"Warren, R. I., May, 1888. From this I make the following extracts: 

"During these years [the two years or more at Rehoboth] Mr. Comer 1 
preached, wrote, and studied, but consumption, a hereditary disease, now 
claimed him for its victim. He died May 23, 1734, in the thirtieth year of 
his age, and was buried by the side of the Rev. Ephraim Wheaton, in the 
rural cemetery where Mr. Wheaton was laid to rest one month before. 

" Mr. Comer left a widow and three children, John, Sarah, and Mary. 
John, the eldest, married Elizabeth, daughter of Thomas and Sarah [Bos- 
worth] Kinnicutt. He was a zealous Baptist and a constituent member of 
the "Warren Church in 1761. He was also one of the three who, in behalf 
of the new church, presented the ordination call to the Rev. James Man- 
ning to become the first pastor. He lived to be upward of ninety years of 
age and died December 30, 1816, closing in peace a blameless and worthy 
life. His descendants still own and occupy the homestead lands of their 
venerable ancestor. 

" The daughters of Rev. John Comer, Sarah and Mary, married into 
Rehoboth families, Mendal and Cranston, and their paternal name was 
soon lost. 

" Mrs. Sarah [Rogers] Comer, [widow of our John Comer], married for 
her second husband Samuel Millard or Miller, a prominent and wealthy 
citizen of Swanzey and an early inhabitant of Warren, when the final set- 
tlement of boundary lines in 1746 gave this new township to Rhode Island. 

1 Miss Cole says the name is now written and pronounced " Coomer." 



THE DIARY OF JOHX COMER. 125 



He was grandfather of Gen. Nathan Miller, a general in the Revolution 
and member of the Continental Congress in 1785. Samuel Millard died in 
1748 and his widow survived him ten years, departing this life in 1758, in 
her fifty-third year. 

"The Rev. Dr. Wm. Rogers, successor to the Rev. Morgan Edwards in 
the pastorate of the Philadelphia church, who was also, and for a short 
time, the only pupil in the Rhode Island College [now Brown University] 
and said to be, at the time of his death in 1824, the last remaining chaplain 
of the Revolutionary army, was a member of the family to which Mrs. 
Comer belonged, and during his collegiate course made his home with the 
son, Mr. John Comer, at the family residence on Bristol Neck, now South 
Warren. 

" The Rev. John Comer ranked among the cultured men of his age and 
his piety was deep, fervent, and active. He possessed decided literary 
talents and designed writing a history of the Baptists in America; he had 
commenced gathering materials for that purpose, had visited Philadelphia, 
and opened an extensive correspondence abroad, when his far-reaching 
plans and proposed labors were closed by death. 

"The local historians tell us that Mr. Comer was curious in noting all 
the remarkable events that came within his knowledge, and the two manu- 
script volumes [of his diary] of the Rhode Island Historical Society are but 
a small portion of his writings, for the centuries lay vandal hands upon 
manuscripts and unbound memoranda. Nor can, or ought, his talents and 
abilities to be judged by these fragmentary notes, never intended for the 
public eye, far less for the criticism of future generations. Yet through the 
intervening century and a half the Baptist church historians of New Eng- 
land have gathered strength and inspiration, as well as facts, from the 
Diary of John Comer, though he died before his literary life was fairly 
begun." 

The second volume of the two, above referred to, consists chiefly of memo- 
randa and records which the Rhode Island Historical Society's Committee 
thought it unnecessary to print in full. The most important have been, I 
think, incorporated in the Diary [Ms. Vol. I.] by Dr. Barrows at the 
proper places. There is also a statement of the religious belief of John 
Comer, "delivered publicly" by him "on the day of [his] ordination," 
which it was also thought unnecessary to give. His views, it is well known, 
were those of the Regular or Calvinistic Baptists of his day, including the 
tenet that the imposition of hands on the newly baptized is obligatory. 
What those views were are clearly set forth in the "Confession of Faith" 
of the Philadelphia Baptist Association, 1742. This may be found in 
Cathcart's Baptist Encyclopedia, pp. 1311 fi. 

Cathcart, in the Baptist Encyclopedia, p. 255, pays this tribute to John 
Comer : 

" Mr. Comer was the most remarkable young man in the Baptist history 
of New England, and his early death was a calamity to the churches in 
that section of that country, suffering at the time so severely from Puritan 
persecutions and needing so much his unusual talents and acquirements." 



126 THE DIARY OF JOHN COMER. 

I am happy to be able to put on record the additional facts and the just 
testimonies contained in this note. For the rest — all that has passed into 
oblivion— we must wait till the day of the Lord's coming, when all his 
faithful servants will receive full credit and full reward, through abound- 
ing and sovereign grace. — J. W. W. 



INDEX TO DIARY. 



INCLUDING INTRODUCTION AND SUPPLEMENTARY 

NOTE. 



{Figures refer to pages of this volume.) 



Accidents recorded, 17, 24, 30, 43, 47, 50, 54, 

53, 56, 57, 63, 66, 83, 87, 92, 97, 100, 112, 119, 

120, 121. 
Adams, Rev. John, 45, 49-54, 101, 108. ' 
Appleton, Nathaniel, D. D., 33. 
Association, Baptist: ("Six-Principle") 66- 

70, 78, 81; Letter of, to South Kingston 

Church, 81 ; Philadelphia, 125. 
Aurora Borealis, 55, 65, 95, 100, 112, 114. 

Baptism: infant, 26, 108; believers', 26. 

Baptist Churches Mentioned : Boston, First, 
32, 69; Cohansey, 102; Dartmouth, 68; 
Groton, 68; Middletown, 107, 117; New 
Loudon, 42, 67 ; Newport, First, 36, 40, 57 
ff.,69, 118, 119; Newport, Second, 40, 69 ff., 
102 ff. ; Newport, Seventh Day, 40, 70; 
Newport, Mr. White's, 41 ; New York, 67 ; 
North Kingston, 69; Philadelphia, First, 
125: Piscataqua (Piscataway), 117; Reho- 
both, 120ff.; Providence (several), 66-68, 
93; South Carolina, 95; South Kingston, 
68, 81; Swanzey (two), 34, 69 ff., 95, 96, 
101 ; Trenton, 113; Warren, 124 ; Westerly 
(Seventh Day), 70; Warwick, 69. 

Baptist Principles, Polity and Practice, 9, 
11; Arminianism, 7, 69; Associations, 66, 
68, 78, 79-81, 125; baplism, 26, 27, 104, 108; 
Church and State, 86; communion, 43, 79, 
104; discipline, 5S,93 ; dismission of mem- 
bers, etc., 3S, 92, 119 ; doctrines of grace, 7, 
119, 125; helping others, 45; imposition of 
hands, 7, 40, 57, 59, 104, 123 ; meetiug 
houses, 103-105,120; minister, wicked, 114, 
117, 118; ministry, the, 37, 38, 120, 121; 
missionary work, 45, 46 ; ordination, 39, 
42, 63, 113, 119; Philadelphia Association, 
125 ; reception of members, 77, 78, 98 ; sing- 
ing, 58 ; support of pastors, 43, 58. 

Baptists: " Calvinistic" churches of, in New 
England, 69; church difficulties among, 7, 



35, 55, 57, 58, 59, 94, 96, 98, 100-102, 109-111, 
113, 118, 119; in North Carolina, letter from, 
84; persecutions of (and others), 8, 62, 75, 
76, 79, 80 ; in South Carolina, write, 85 ; sta- 
tistics of, in America, 68-70, 85, 114. 

Barnard, Rev. John, 30-32. 

Barrows, C. E., D. D., author of "Develop- 
ment of Baptist Principles in R. I.," 11 ; 
editor of this work, 9-11 ; pastor of John 
Comer's church, 10 ; sketch of, 11-13. 

Berkeley, Dean, George, 60, 71. 

Boston: great fire iu, 16; night watch in, 
78. 

Brown, Jonathan, case of, 84, 93. 

Burnoll, Rebecca, 32. 

Burnett, Gov. William, 54, 79. 

Callender, Rev. Elisha: letter to Comer, 36. 

Callender, Rev. John : mentioned, 101, 115; 
ordained over First Newport Church, 119. 

Cambridge: school at, 24; First Congrega- 
tional Church of, 26. 

Carr, Freelove : happy death of, 109. 

Clarke, Rev. John : spoken of, 10 ; perse- 
cuted in Boston, 75, 76. 

Clap, Rev. Nathaniel : spoken of, 49-54 ; wise 
words of, 94 ; pun by, 108. 

Claggett, William, 100. 

Cold, great, 121. 

Comer, John, Rev. : acceptance of call to First 
Newport, 37, 38; accounts (money mat- 
ters), 58, 59, 72, 91, 98, 99, 115, 121, 122; an- 
cestry, 15, 16, 58; apprenticeship, 18,19; 
autograph of, 15; Backus' account of, 7, 
8; baptism, exercised about, 26, 30; bap- 
tisms by, 43, 48, 57, 58, 77, 78, 98, 121, 124; 
baptized, 7, 32 ; Barrows, C. E., D. D., edits 
his diary, 9-11; bequest to, 113; birth, 7, 
15; Boston, returns to, 32; builds a house, 
54, 55 ; buried, 124 ; buys a house, 119 ; call 
to Newport, First, 36; Cathcart's estimate 

127 



128 



INDEX TO DTAKY. 



of, 125; children of, 44, 54, 59, 118, 124; 
Cole, Miss Annie E., her sketch of Comer, 
124, 125 ; Congregationalist, originally a, 
7, 25, 26 ; conviction and conversion of, 
17, 18, 20, 22, 24, 25 ; death of, 8, 124 ; de- 
pressed in spirits, 91 ; descendants of, 
124; dismissed from Boston church, 38, 
from First Newport, 59 ; from Second New- 
port, 119; Diary his, character of, 8, 9; 
value of, 9 ; second volume of, 125 ; 
editor of, 9, 10; early friends of, 25; 
education of, 15, 16, 19-21, 24, 30-32; 
epitaphs copied by, 106, 107 ; funeral ser- 
mon of John Rogers by, 82 ; grandfather of, 
legacy from, 21 ; joins Newport First 
Church, 38; Second Church, 60; journey 
to Springfield, 45-47 ; to Philadelphia, 115- 
118; labors at Springfield, 45,45; in general, 
7, 124-126 ; leaves Second Newport Church, 
119; last sickness of, 121, 124; manuscripts 
of,unpublished,125; marriages by, in lit ho- 
both, 122-124; peisons baptized by, who 
were tojoin Swanzey Church, 124; marriage 
of, 37; ministry at Swanzey, 33-35; at First. 
Newport, 30; at Second Newport, 60 ff. ; at 
Rehoboth, 120-124 ; mother's pipe sets 
house on fire, 94; New Jersey, his visit to, 
117; note, supplementary, concerning, 
124-126; ordained at Newport, 39 ; parents 
of, 15-17; Philadelphia, journey to, 115- 
118; Philadelphia Association, his accord 
■with, 125; preaches on "Imposition of 
Hands,"' 57 ; prepares for college at Cam- 
bridge, 7, 21-30 ; Providence, visits, 72, 95, 
115; receives imposition of hands, 60; re- 
conciliation of, with First Newport Church, 
118, 121 ; Rehoboth, at, 8 ; removes to, 119 ; 
buys a house at, 119; church formed, 120 ; 
becomes pastor at, 120 ; installed, 121 ; work 
at, 124 ; salary of, 43, 48, 57, 58 ; singing, in- 
troduces, at Newport, 5H ; brief f ketch of, 
7, 8 ; small pox, 23, 24 ; Swanzey, at, 33-35, 
visits, 95 ; teaches at Swanzey, 33-35 ; 
trouble of, at First Newport Church, 57, 58, 
94, 100 ; his views of doctrine, 7, 8, 125 ; 
Wheaton, Rev. Ephraim, his dear friend, 
34, 94, 124 ; wife of, 124, 125 ; wig, his, 85 ; 
wronged by stepfather, 17, 18 ; Yale Col- 
lege, enters, 7, 30 ; leaves 7, 33. 

Condy, Rev. Jeremiah, 111, 113, 115. 

Congregational churches • in R. L, 56. 

Counterfeiters, 60-62, 65, 10 i. 

Craft, Ephraim, 26. 

Crandall, Rev. Joseph, 108. 

Cranston, Gov. Samuel, 48. ' 



Crimes: recorded, 43, 44, 47, 48, 56, 61, 62, 65, 
107, 110, 121. 

Devotion, John, 46. 

Difficulties, church : in First Cong'l Church, 
Newport, 49-54 ; in Baptist churches,Swan- 
zey, 35 ; First Newport, 57, 58, 94, 100, 113, 
118 ; Second Newport, 119. 

Drake, Rev. John, 117. 

Drunkenness : sexton at Boston guilty of, 112. 

Eacclesfield [or, Eaglesfield], Rev. George, 

107, 117. 
Earthquake, 46. 

Episcopalians, practising immersion, 62. 
Epitaphs, at Newport, 106, 107. 
Everett, Rev. Daniel, 81. 
Eyres, Rev. Nicholas, 109, 116. 

Fire: at Boston, 16. 

Freetown, 110. 

Funeral, John Rogers', 82. 

Gardner, Capt. Robert, 63 ff. 

George II. : proclaimed King, 45. 

Gibson, Rev. William, 107. 

Green, Dr., of Cambridge, Eng. : strange will 

of, 113. 
Grinman [Greenman] James, 79. 

Heat, great, 45. 

Hiscox, Rev. William : sermon by, 73 ; death 

of, 107. 
Holmes, Rev. Obadiah : whipped in Boston, 

76. 

Inoculation, 22, 23. 

Indian War, 32. 

Imposition of hands. 7, 8, 40, 57, 78, 92, 94, 125. 

Installation, 121. 

Jencks, Gov. Joseph, 48. 
Jenkins, Rev. N. : letter of, about Henry 
Loveall, 117. 

Laying on of hands : See " Imposition of 

hands." 
Loveall, Henry, 92, 113 ; bad conduct of, 114, 

117, 118. 

Mather, Dr. Increase, 19. 

Maxwell, Samuel, 63, 65, 66, 77, 78, 108. 

Millard, Samuel, 124, 125. 

Miller, Gen. Nathan, 125. 

Missionary Work, 45, 46. 

Mockery : religious service receiving, 108. 



INDEX TO DIARY. 



129 



Newport : First Baptist Church at, 7, 10, 39, 
40, 57, 58, 59 ; Second Baptist Church of, 7, 
40, 119 ; " Agreement about the meet- 
ing house " of, 102-105 ; Congregational 
churches of, and their difficulties, 49-54 ; 
new meeting house for Mr. Clap, 72. 

New Jersey : inquiries concerning the Bap- 
tists of, 92. 

New York : Dutch church in, 116 ; sights of, 
116. 

Note: supplementary, 124-126; concluding 
words of, 126. 

O'Hara, Joseph, 56, 72, 73, 84 

Oldest Baptist Church in America, 10. 

Ordination, improper, 117, 118. 

Palmer, Rev. Paul, 102, 111, 118. 

Peckham, Rev. William, 35. 

Peckham, Capt. William, 100. 

Pelham, Edward, 111. 

Persecution : in Bristol, 62 ; Baptist petition 

against, in Connecticut, 79, 80. 
Piscataqua (Piscataway), N. J. : Baptist 

church in, 117. 
Providence: Congregational church in, 56. 
Potter, Capt. William, 95. 

Quakers, 59. 
Quarantine, 105, 112. 

Rehoboth : Comer goes to, 119 ; meeting house 

at, 120 ; Baptist church of, 120. 
Revelation, The : Pardon Tillinghast on, 73- 

75. 
Rhode Island : Counties of, 78 ; Island of, 

(Aquidneck), purchase of, 85; settlers 

adopt constitution for, 86. 
Rogers, John, 45 ; funeral of, 82. 
Rogers, Samuel, distress of, 109. 
Rogers, Sarah (Mrs. John Comer), 37, 124. 
Rogers, Sarah, Mrs. (Mrs. John Comer's 

mother), death of, 121. 
Rogers, William, D. D., 125. 



School : first free, in New England, 76. 

Seventh Day Baptists, 69, 70. 

Sheffield, Nathaniel, 95. 

Shipwreck, remarkable, 63-65. 

Six-Principle Baptists, 68, 69. 

Small pox, 20, 98, 105, 106, 107, 108. 

Smith, Edward, 100, 111. 

Smith, Philip, 100. 

Snow, deep, 121. 

Sprague, Rev. Jonathan, 67. 

Springfield, Mass. : Baptists at, 45, 46 ; letter 

from, 45. 
Staples, Thomas, cleared of crime, 105. 
Statistics of Baptists in America, 68-70, 85, 

114. 
Storms, 45, 50, 60. 
Sutton, 121. 
Swanzey : mentioned, 33 ; Baptist churches 

in, 33, 69, 96. 
Sweating, Rev. Henry, 49. 

Tide, high, at Boston, 26. 
Tillinghast, Rev. Pardon: work on The 
Revelation, 73-75. 

Voyage to Boston, 32. 

Vincent on the Second Coming of Christ, 20, 
21. 

Walton, Rev. John, at First Newport Church, 

101, 102. 
Wheaton, Rev. Ephraim, 34, 44, 94; John 

Comer's grave by the side of his, 124. 
White, Rev. Daniel, 36, 54, 55, 65. 
Wightman, Rev. Daniel, baptism by, 109, 

110. 
Willmarth, Dr. J. W., editorial work of, 10. 
Wilson, Rev. John, infamous conduct of, 76. 

Yale College : spoken of, 30, 31 ; Comer en- 
ters, 7, 30 ; leaves, 7, 33. 
Year 1727, remarkable, 48. 
Year 1730, 114. 



INDEX TO FOOT-NOTES. 



(Figures refer to numbers of Ike Foot-notes.) 



Adams, Rev. John, 64. 

Andover : Congregational churches in, 22. 

Andrew, Rev. Samuel, 30. 

Angier, Amos. 1. 

Antinomiaus, 62. 

Appleton, Nathaniel, D. D., 14. 

Apprenticeship, laws of, 4. 

Aquidneck: purchase and settlement of, 

148, 149, 150. 
Aspinwall, William, 155. 
Association: Six-Principle Baptist, 102,12334, 

139. 
Authority, of God in the State, 150. 

Baker, Rev. Thomas, 118. 

Baptist churches: " Calvinistic" in New 
England, 119,120, 121. 

Baptist churches mentioned : Boston, First, 
16, 39, 48 ; Bristol, Eng., 179 ; Charleston, S. 
C. (oomerton), 144 ; Dartmouth, 110 ; Eng- 
land, in, 17; Groton,61, 108; London, Eng. 
(several), 179; Middletown,184; New Lon- 
don, 111 ; Newport (various), 5o ; Newport, 
First, 43-45,56, 65, 66, 91-93,132, 185% 186 ; 
Newport, Second, 51, 53, 123J4, 178% ; New- 
port, Seventh Day, 54, 55, 123 ; Newport, 
Mr. White's, 56; New York (two), 106, 
107 ; North Carolina, 145 ; North Kingston, 
118 ; Nottingham, Eng., 179 ; Piscataqua 
(Piscataway), 185; Providence (several), 
104,105,114, 115, 128; Rehoboth, 49, 187, 
188; South Kingston, 112, 113; Swanzey 
(two), 41, 43, 67, 74, 116 ; Warren, 188 ; War- 
wick, 117 ; Westerly. Seventh Day, 122. 

Baptist Principles, Polity and Practice: 
Arminianism, 106, 107, 119 ; Associations, 
102, 1233^, 139, 187 ; Church and State, 149, 
150, 152 ; Clarke, Rev. John, 131, 149, 152 ; 
communion, 51, 1S23^ ; doctrines of grace, 
106, 107, 113, 116, 119, 120, 121, 187 ; elders, 
43, 74 ; helping others, 66 ; imposition of 
hands,51, 91, 141, 187 ; laying on of hands, 
See " Imposition of Hands " ; meeting 

130 



houses, 12334, !78% ; missionary work, 
66, 188; Philadelphia Association, 187; 
singing in worship, 93, 116; suggestion 
concerning polity, 75 ; support of pastors, 
128 ; wicked minister, case of, 183 ; wine 
at communion, 18234- 

Baptists : church difficulties among, 89, 91, 
92, 14G, 180, 18534 I North Carolina, 145 ; 
South Carolina, 144 ; persecutions of, 16, 
39, 42, 97, 105, 109, 131-134, 142, 145, 151, 152, 
153-169, 188. 

Baker, Rev. Thomas, 118. 

Barnard, Rev. John, 23. 

Barnes, Rev. Thomas, 116. 

Barrows, C. E., D. D. : end of his notes, 187, 
188; his views of John Clarke, 152. 

Baulstone (or Balstone), William, 166. 

Baxter, Rev. Joseph, 79. 

Berkeley, Dean George, 95. 

Boston: churches in, 18,19, 20; First Bap- 
tist Church of, 39 ; pastors of First Baptist 
Church, 39 ; great fire in, 2. 

Boylston, Zabdial, M. D., 11. 

Bristol: persecution at, 97. 

Brown, Rev. James, 103. 

Brown, Rev. Richard, 80. 

Browne, Tutor Daniel, 34. 

Bull, Henry, 167. 

Burnett, Gov. William, 84. 

Callender, Rev. Elisha, 16. 

Callender, Rev. Ellis, 48. 

Callender, Rev. John, 70, 186. 

Cambridge, First Congregational Church of, 
28. 

Canonicut, island of, 85. 

Carder, Richard, 165. 

Churches : manner of speaking of, 14. 

Church and State, 149, 150, 152. 

Church polity : Congregationalist, 75 ; Bap- 
. tist, See "Baptist Principles, Polity and 
I Practice." 
I Claggett, William, 172. 
1 Clap, Rev. Nathaniel, 25, 77, 83. 



INDEX TO FOOT-NOTES. 



131 



Clap, Rev. Thomas, 69. 

Clarke Uev. janies, 52, 178%. 

Clarke, Rev. John : spoken of, 44, 131, 152 ; 
in accord with regular Baptists, 152; 
character and work of, 131, 152 ; Dr. Bar- 
rows' views of, 152 ; " Narrative of," 130. 

Clarke, Jeremiah, 178%. 

Comer, John : accord of, with Philadelphia 
Association, 187; death of, 188; descend- 
ants of, 188; difficulties of, with First 
Church in Newport, 89, 91 ; labors of, at 
Sutton and other towns, 188 ; last davs of, 
188; his reconciliation with First Church 
in Newport, 185%; Rehoboth, his useful- 
ness at, 188; sermon on imposition of 
hands by, 89 ; his views of doctrine and 
results, 187. 

Coddington, William, 151. 

Coggeshall, John, 154. 

Communion wine, 182%. 

Condy, Rev. Jeremiah, 181 ; his son Jere- 
miah, 181. 

Congregational churches in Rhode Island, 
82, 87. 

Constitution adopted by settlers of Aquid- 
neck (island of R. I.), 149, 150. 

Cotton, Rev. Josiah, 88. 

Council, Congregationalist, at Newport, 81. 

Counterfeiting, 96. 

Craft, Ephraim, 15. 

Crandall, John, 133. 

Crandall, Rev. Joseph, 55, 123. 

Cranston, Gov. Samuel, 71. 

Cutler, Rev. Timothy, 33. 

Currency, paper, 13. 

Danforth, Samuel, 9. 

Dartmouth, church in, 110. 

Devotion, Rev Ebenezer, 68. 

Difficulties in First Newport Congregational 

Church, 77, 80, 81, 83. 
Drake, Rev. John, 185. 
Dyre, William, 161. 

Eaglesfield (or, Ecclesfleld), Rev. Mr., 184. 
Eals (or, Eels), Rev. Nathaniel, 76. 
Episcopal church: at Newport, 57, 63; in 

Providence, 99; at Tower Hill, 100. 
Elders in Baptist churches, 43, 74. 
Everett, Rev. Daniel, 112. 
Eyres, Rev. Nicholas, 106. 

Fighting Quaker, 175. 
Fire at Boston, 2 
Fiske, Rev. Samuel, 115. 



Foxcroft, Pres. Thomas, 78. 

Freeborn, William, 162. 

Free School, first in New England, 135. 

General Redemption, 119. 
Gibson, Rev. William, 123. 
Gilford, Rev. Andrew, 179. 
Gorton, Rev. Stephen, 60. 
Groton, church in, 108. 
Groton Conference, 108. 

Hammett, Rev. John, 117. 
Hardin, Richard, 67. 
Hart, Rev. Oliver, 144. 
Hiscox, Rev. William, 123. 
Holden, Randall, 168. 
Holmes, Rev. Obadiah, 132. 
Honeyman, Rev. James, 57, 58. 
Hutchinson, William and Anhe, 153. 
Hutchinson, Edward, 159. 

Imposition of hands : in time of Comer, 50, 
51, 61, 89, 141, 187 ; at present time, 187 ; once 
general among Baptists in America, 187. 

Inoculation, 10, 11. 

Jencks, Gov. Joseph, 72. 
Jenkins, Rev. Nathaniel, 178. 

Laying on of hands: See "Imposition of 

hands." 
Loveall, Henry, 183, 185. 

Martin, Rev. Manasseh, 117. 

Mason, Rev. Joseph, 116. 

Mason, Samuel, 116. 

Mather, Dr. Cotton, 3. 

Mather, Dr. Increase, 5. 

Maxon, Revs. John, John, Jr., and Joseph, 

122. 
Maxwell, Rev. Samuel, 49, 180. 
McSparran, Rev. James, 100. 
Middletown, N. J., 184; oldest church in 

N. J., 184. 
Ministers and political affairs, 152. 
Modes of punishment, 101. 
" Mrs.", meaning of, 46. 

New London : church at, 111. 

Newport : churches, etc., in, 50, 63 ; First Bap- 
tist Church of, 44,£45, 92, 185%, 186 ; Second 
Baptist Church of, 50, 51; deed of its 
meeting house, 123%, 178%; Congrega- 
tional churches in, 24, 63, 73, 77, 80, 6 1 ; 
Seventh Day Baptist Church at, 51, 123; 



132 



INDEX TO FOOT-NOTES. 



forts at, 137 ; Mr. Clap's meeting house in, 
" 77, 124; "woods" of, 170. 
New York City : Baptist churches in, 107. 
North Carolina Baptists, 145. 
North Kingston : church in, 118. 
Noyes, Bev. Joseph, 27. 

OHara, Joseph, 123%. 
Ordination, 43, 49, 52. 

Palmer, Bev. Paul, 146. 

Peart, Bev. William, 144. 

Peckham, Bev. William, 43. 

Pelham, Edward, 182. 

Persecutions of Baptists and others : See 

" Baptists, Persecutions of." 
Philadelphia Association: a pattern, 187; 

doctrinal position of, 187. 
Pierpont, Tutor James, 32. 
Piggott, Bev. George, 99. 
Piscataqua (Piscataway), N. J., spoken of, 

185 ; church in, 185. 
Place, Bev. Peter, 114. 
Porter, John, 157. 
Providence : Congregational church in, 87 ; 

division of, and location of churches in, 

104, 114, 115, 125. 

Quakers spoken of, 59 ; warlike, 175. 

Beconciliation : between John Comer and 
First Church, Newport, 185%. 

Becords of Second Church, Newport: ex- 
tracts from, 123%. 

Behoboth: Baptist Church at, 187; town 
of, 188; churches in, 49, 188. 

Bhode Island: divided into counties, 138; 
Indians of, 148. 

Eogers, John, 65. 

Sanford, John, 158. 

Savage, Thomas, 160. 

School, free: first in New England, 135. 

Screven, Bev. William, 144. 

Seventh Day Baptists, 54, 121. 

Sever, Bev. Nicholas, 12. 

Shefiield, Nathaniel, 173. 

Sherman, Philip, 163. 

Simmons, Bev. Thomas, 144. 

Six-Principle Baptists, 50, 61, 187. 



Singing in church, 93. 

Slavery and the slave trade, 90. 

Small pox, 6. 

Smith, Edward, 180. 

Smith, Bev. William, 35. 

South Carolina Baptists, 144. 

South Kingston : church in, 113. 

Southworth, Gideon, 37. 

Sprague, Bev. Jonathan, 105. 

Sprague, Bev. David, 118. 

Springfield, Mass.: Baptists at, 66; letter 

from, 66. 
Stennett, Bev. Joseph, 17. 
Stocks, the, 101. 
Swanzey: town of, 40; Baptist church in, 

41 ; Six-Principle Baptist Church in, 116. 
Sweating, Bev. Henry, 74. 
Sweet, Bev. Richard, 118. 

Tabor, Rev. Philip, 109. 
Tillinghast, Bev. Pardon, 128. 
Tillinghast, Dea. Pardon, 140. 

Usher, Rev. John, 98. 

Vincent, Rev. Thomas, 7. 

Waldron, Rev. William, 21. 

Walker, John, 164. 

Walton, Rev. John, 141. 

Wanton, Gov. Gideon, 175. 

Wanton, John, 169. 

Ward, Gov. Richard, 147. 

Warwick, church in, 117. 

Webb, Rev. John, 8. 

Westerly and its churches, 122. 

Wheaton, Bev. Ephraim : (Comer's special 

friend), 41,42. 
White, Bev. Daniel, 45, 56. 
Wightman, Bev. Daniel, 53. 
Wightman, Bev. Valentine, 61. 
Wilbor, Samuel, 156. 
Willmarth, Dr. J. W. : Notes and parts of 

notes by, 14, 42, 46, 75, 94, 123%, 144, 152, 

182%, 183, 187, 188. (Supplementary Note, 

pages 124-126.) 
Wilson, Bev. John, 134. 
Wine, Communion, 182%. 

Yale College, 30, 32. 



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